Although Philadelphia has adopted a forward looking and aggressive plan to end homelessness in our city within ten years, a model which has been held up as an example for other cities, the sad truth is that homelessness has actually increased in our city despite the best efforts of the business community and local government. One of the reasons behind this increase may be that the funds dedicated to combat homelessness have been deeply slashed by almost 50%.

The federal department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sharply restricted funds for Philadelphia’s fight against homelessness by nearly 44%, a cut of $10 million dollars from an already inadequate budget of $23 million. “There will be no funding for new projects,” says Jane Addams shelter Director Liz Thul. “They’re funding renewals this year, and only for a year at a time. The agency has given some communities millions to create programs that serve a very small percentage of the homeless population, people with mental illness and/or substance abuse problems. Those communities who request funding to provide a continuum of services and housing, such as employment programs for homeless mothers or educational assistance for homeless children, received a cut. It’s as if they’re trying to reward cities and towns that eliminate social services from HUD programs.” Thul’s suspicions are echoed in an article from the January 2006 Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in which a HUD official said the agency had a “new philosophy of favoring groups that provide long-term housing over those that offer services such as counseling.”

While this “bricks-and-mortar” approach sounds good, the policy ignores the reasons why people become homeless to begin with. “It’s not simply a case of ‘build a house for someone’ and the problem’s solved,” says Ms. Thul. “And even the new approach isn’t enough: one hundred units of new housing for the homeless, part of the Mayor’s 10-year plan to end homelessness in Philadelphia, will not be built thanks to these cuts.” Indeed, HUD's budget for new permanent housing has also been cut: in 2006, HUD’s grants for new housing and service programs for the homeless was 45% smaller than in 2003. Federal funding for the Supportive Housing Program, which funds emergency shelters, transitional housing and supportive services, was cut by 53%, from $245 million in 2003 to $115 million in 2006. Funding for new permanent housing was cut from $97 million in 2003 to $77 million in 2006. “If individuals and families don’t have the skills to maintain their housing, pay their bills and rent on time, and to hold down long-term employment,” Thul continues, “they will soon find themselves back on the streets. The fact is, counseling and social services are imperative to eradicating homelessness, which is why LSH pursues a holistic approach to the problem.”

Says LSH Executive Director Beatriz Vieira, “There are no easy fixes to homelessness, but at LSH we offer a continuum of services that gives our clients a better shot at success. Residents of Jane Addams Place have access to all of our services, including the Career Readiness Program, which offers employment training and adult education. Not only do we prepare our students to take the GED, we offer ten scholarships that cover the test fee! Our domestic violence counselors provide survivors with the counseling they need to start life fresh and to prevent them from going back to their abusers. These are necessary services that allow our clients to make a final break from the cycle of homelessness and despair, and these cuts simply can’t continue.” Ms. Thul adds that internal programs offered through the services at Jane Addams Place, such as enhanced parenting, life skills and financial management are implemented with the intent to ameliorate many of the obstacles in achieving self sufficiency.

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As you may imagine from the article above, Lutheran Settlement House and other agencies that serve the homeless are scrambling to make up the difference from state and local sources as well as from private foundations and charities. However, none have the resources available to the federal government, and these funding solutions amount to little more than a band-aid on a wound that requires surgical intervention.

To enhance these efforts, LSH’s Jane Addams Place is taking a proactive approach by promoting self advocacy by residents and staff through participation in the Election 2007: Vote for omes! mayoral candidates forum. Earlier this summer, the residents of Jane Addams Place took the opportunity to attend a rally to support the Vote for Homes campaign, sponsored by the Philadelphia Coalition for Housing Justice. This landmark rally was held at City Hall in support of the Inclusionary Housing bill. LSH Executive Directors, staff and residents of Jane Addams Place also attended the Make Homeless Families Count press conference on the 20th Anniversary of the McKinney-Vento legislation along with US Congressman Chakka Fattah and members of the press.

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Roberta Harrison had been in and out of shelter for three years before arriving at Jane Addams Place. Moving from bed to bed while in the system, she had lost everything, including contact with her 15 year-old son. It was the last straw in a series of setbacks, and Roberta decided then and there that she was going to pull herself out of poverty and dependence, and become the parent she knew she could be. Roberta had heard that Jane Addams Place was a different kind of shelter, one that provided people like her with the counseling, education, and tools to start life fresh. Although she’d had bad experiences in the past, she decided to give it one last shot and arrived at our doorstep.

It took a lot of careful individual and parent support, but Roberta regained full custody of her son, who moved in with her at Jane Addams Place. “I worked hard to regain control of my life,” Roberta says, “and thanks to Jane Addams staff and the services offered by Lutheran Settlement House, I moved out of Jane Addams and into transitional housing in early August.”

At Jane Addams Place, Roberta took advantage of parenting classes to reestablish a healthy relationship with her children. “Even though I’m much more capable as a parent now, I still attend the classes,” she says. “They helped me change the way I deal with my kids, and still inspire me. I like to tell my classmates, ‘I know it’s hard, but don’t give up.’” She entered the Career Readiness Program, a highly successful employment training and education program offered at Lutheran Settlement House’s main site to obtain the computer skills she needed to get a good job. Most importantly, she entered Alcoholics Anonymous to address the addiction that had haunted her life for far too long.

Roberta is an inspiration to other residents, “She has been designated a Jane Addams peer mentor,” says shelter Director Liz Thul, “and is dedicated to helping others in her situation. For example, Roberta recently attended a “Make Homeless Families Count” press conference with LSH staff and family providers for the 20th Anniversary of the McKinney-Vento Act, which ensures that homeless individuals and families receive not only shelter but supportive services to help them regain their independence.” Roberta took the opportunity to speak directly with Pennsylvania Congressman Chaka Fattah about possible employment. “They had their first meeting on July 26th and will be meeting again for a second time on Tuesday, July 31st to discuss employment,” crows Thul. “So not only is Roberta making huge steps toward her own success, she’s doing it in a way that will help others achieve self-sufficiency as well!”

Adds Roberta, “I couldn’t have done any of this without the dedicated staff at Lutheran Settlement House and Jane Addams Place. It is hard to imagine what my situation was like before they entered my life, but I will never forget how much they’ve helped me. Thank you so much for everything!”

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We at LSH take the safety of our clients and staff very seriously. To help us maintain safety we have a Safety Committee in place that monitors safety related procedures and policies. This article however, is not about LSH's workplace safety but about helping you create and maintain a safer place at home:

As per the National safety Council:

*A fatal injury occurs in the home every 14 minutes and a disabling injury every 4 seconds.
*The five leading causes of fatal injury are falls; poisoning; choking; drowning; and fires and flames.
*Smoke inhalation accounts for a majority of deaths in home fires.

So, how safe is your home? Here is a quick checklist, if you answer too many "No's", maybe it is time you re-evaluate your safety procedures and take steps to make your home a safer place for you and your family.

HOUSEKEEPING

1. Y | n : Do you clean up spills as soon as they occur?
2. Y | n : Do you keep floors and stairways clean and free of clutter?
3. Y | n : Do you put away books, magazines, sewing supplies and other objects as soon as you're through with them and never leave them on floors or stairways?

FLOORS

1. Y | n : Do you keep everyone from walking on freshly washed floors before they're dry?
2. Y | n : Do all small rugs have nonskid backings?
3. Y | n : Are all carpet edges tacked down?
4. Y | n : Are rugs and carpets free of curled edges, worn spots and rips?

BATHROOM

1. Y | n : Do you use a rubber mat or nonslip decals in the tub or shower?
2. Y | n : Do you have a grab bar securely anchored over the tub or on the shower wall?
3. Y | n : Do you have a nonskid rug on bathroom floor?

TRAFFIC LANES

1. Y | n : Can you walk across every room in your home, and from one room to another, without detouring around furniture?
2. Y | n : Is the traffic lane from your bedroom to the bathroom free of obstacles?
3. Y | n : Are telphone and appliance cords kept away from areas where people walk?

LIGHTING

1. Y | n : Do you have light switches near every doorway?
2. Y | n : Do you have a lamp or light switch within easy reach from your bed?
3. Y | n : Do you have night lights in your bathroom and in the hallway leading from your bedroom to the bathroom?
4. Y | n : Are all stairways well lighted?
5. Y | n : Do you have light switches at both the tops and bottoms of stairways?

STAIRWAYS

1. Y | n : Do securely fastened handrails extend the full length of the stairs on each side of stairways?
2. Y | n : Are all stairways in good condition, with no broken, sagging or sloping steps?
3. Y | n : Are all stairway carpeting and metal edges securely fastened and in good condition?

LADDERS AND STEP STOOLS

1. Y | n : Do you have a sturdy step stool that you use to reach high cupboard and closet shelves?
2. Y | n : Before you climb a ladder or step stool, do you always make sure it's fully open and that the stepladder spreaders are locked?
3. Y | n : Do you avoid standing on top of a step stool or climbing beyond the second step from the top on a stepladder?

OUTDOOR AREAS

1. Y | n : Are walks and driveways in your yard and other areas free of breaks?
2. Y | n : Do you put away garden tools and hoses when they're not in use?
3. Y | n : Are outdoor areas kept free of rocks, loose boards and other tripping hazards?
4. Y | n : Do you have mats at doorways for people to wipe their feet on?

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Lutheran Settlement House (LSH) is proud to announce the launch of its fourth annual Bilingual Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign, "The Purple Ribbon Campaign". Started in 2004, LSH’s Purple Ribbon Campaign, is a three-month city-wide initiative to raise awareness about domestic violence.

“The Purple Ribbon Campaign is one of many efforts to educate the public and draw greater attention to domestic violence in Philadelphia,” says Lutheran Settlement House Executive Director Beatriz Vieira. “The campaign helps to raise the necessary funds to continue to provide free-of-charge services such as counseling, legal/medical advocacy, and education and training to the women and children who are victims of or witnesses to domestic violence.”

Each year, LSH distributes information in English and Spanish about domestic violence to local schools, universities, churches, and hospitals, drawing in participants from CEOs to students. “This year, we’re delighted to announce a wonderful new partner in this effort,” says Vieira proudly. “For the entire month of October, Chestnut Hill will go purple in support of the Purple Ribbon Campaign, dedicating a variety of events to raising awareness and funds for the struggle to end domestic violence. And what a month it will be!”

Kicking off the month on Thursday, October 4th, Chestnut Hill Village Apartments and 3000BC Spa will sponsor the Matthew Izzo Fashion Show, featuring Action News HealthCheck reporter Anita Brikman as Mistress of Ceremonies, who also hosted LSH’s 2007 Women of Courage: Women of Inspiration Awards in May. “Ms. Brikman is a great supporter of our efforts to improve the lives of women in Philadelphia,” adds Vieira, “and we are very pleased that she’ll be joining us in Chestnut Hill.”

On Sunday, October 7th from 11 am to 5 pm, Lutheran Settlement House will be distributing domestic violence prevention information at Chestnut Hill’s Fall for the Arts Festival. The festival includes over 160 artists and craftsmen, live entertainment on three stages, children’s games and amusement rides, al fresco dining, and art demonstrations, including an exhibit from the Listen Up! Young Artists Have Something to Say About Domestic Violence art competition.

Saturday October 13 will open with a 10:00 am press conference followed by a two-mile walk to raise funds and awareness for Lutheran Settlement House. “The walk will be led and supported by CBS 3 anchor Larry Mendte, Fox 29 anchor Dawn Stensland, and NBC 10 anchor Dawn Timmeney, who have bravely added their names to the long list of Philadelphians who have decided to join the fight against domestic violence,” says Ms. Vieira. “Their strong stance is an inspiration to us all.”

Closing the month on Saturday, October 20th, Chestnut Hill will host a “Kids Day” including face painting, pumpkin painting, music, a poster contest, street entertainers, costumed characters, kid-friendly foods, and much more. B101 will be on hand to add to the excitement.

For more information about the Purple Ribbon Campaign or these events, please visit www.lutheransettlement.org or www.chestnuthillpa.org

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