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| Woman Finds Brighter Day with CHN | |
When a Community Housing Network staff member saw Monica Alandt's housing, she couldn't believe anyone was living there. The makeshift apartment in a rural area was full of mold, the ceiling was coming down, the septic tank wasn't working and the electrical wiring was unsafe. There were roaches everywhere and the lock on the door didn't work.
Monica (pictured above with her son, attending a CHN holiday event) disliked the apartment but she was in dire straits. Her husband had left her and their son who had been born very premature. Her son had numerous doctor appointments for his ailments, and for a time had to be fed with a tube. There was little time to find a job that might mean more money for a safer apartment for them both.
Monica could not find work, and was anguished about the unsanitary conditions she and her ill son were living in - the only apartment she could afford. She was desperately afraid that her son's health would worsen in such conditions.
"I remember being there and just crying every night," Monica said. "It was horrible."
At a municipal building, Monica came across Community Housing Network's name and phone number, and the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). She called. The CHN HPRP coordinator who visited her was able to help her, first through the HPRP program, and then through CHN's supportive housing programs.
Monica's new apartment is better. "It's the complete opposite of my old place," she said. "It's light and new and fresh and clean. My old place was like a dungeon. It was so dark. I moved in here and got inspired. It was like I started crawling out of a hole."
Now that she's back on her feet and she and her son are in stable housing, Monica plans to go back to school to get her GED. Her long-term goal is to become an addiction specialist and help others.
About CHN, she said, "It was really a good feeling to call someone that cared and didn't judge you. I feel like someone's proud of me." She paused and added, "I'll never forget that day, getting CHN's phone number from that lady. That was a changing day." | |
| Kroger Community Rewards - Join Us! |  |
We are starting to see this program produce results! Thanks to everyone who has signed up for Kroger Community Rewards -- if you haven't already, please join us! Each time you shop at Kroger and use your Community Rewards card (the cashier simply scans it), Kroger will make a donation to CHN! It costs you nothing, and it only takes a moment to sign up. Sign up here.
Thank you! We appreciate your support.
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Save the Date!
March 20-25: Community Housing Network is the partner charity for Troy Restaurant Week! Please patronize a participating restaurant. More information can be found here. | | |
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Message from Marc
Dear Supporter  The past month has been a busy one, with final wrap-up of our Adopt A Family program, our participation in the Point-In-Time street counts of people who are homeless, and the calls that continue to pour in to our Housing Resource Center from people looking for critical housing help. In January we fielded 2,022 calls, compared to 479 last January. The need is great. We're very happy to be the recipient charity for the upcoming Troy Restaurant Week! Read more here. This opportunity was made available to us in part through the Troy Chamber of Commerce, of which we are a member via the Non-Profit Network. Thank you to the Chamber, for all of the hard work you do in the community. Finally, with the release of the much anticipated budget from Governor Snyder, we are guardedly optimistic about funding for mental health and human services, areas that deeply affect the people we serve. We appreciate the governor's commitment to the most vulnerable citizens in our communities, and hope that a similar commitment will be reflected by the legislature that will work to pass a final budget. Best regards, Marc Craig President |
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"Point-In-Time" Homeless Street Counts Take Place in Oakland and Macomb Counties
In late January, Community Housing Network teamed up with a number of organizations and volunteers to help conduct the HUD-mandated "Point-In-Time" street count of people who are homeless in Oakland and Macomb counties. Several hundred people participated in the count, fanning out across both counties -- Oakland on Jan. 25, and Macomb on Jan. 26 -- to find people who were living on the streets or in places not meant for habitation, such as vehicles or even, in at least one case, the bathroom floor of a restaurant.
CHN staffer CJ Felton helped organize volunteers for the Oakland County count, finding team leaders for 47 teams and rallying more than 200 people to the task. "It went very well," said CJ. "Almost every volunteer showed up, and we were able to cover the entire county, without a doubt, which is the goal."
Teams of 4 to 5 people went to assigned areas in the counties, and counted the people they encountered who were homeless. Bags with socks, granola bars and other items were offered to anyone who was homeless, and resources to seek help were provided. A special Community Connection Day was held the day of the Point-In-Time count in Macomb County, providing people with haircuts, food, and other services and items.
The number of people found who were homeless will be released soon (it's a complex process, with shelters and other homeless service providers reporting in, in addition to the count that takes place on the street).
Reporters covered the Point-In-Time counts, resulting in several newspaper articles:
Detroit Free Press: "Counties head out to count homeless"
http://bit.ly/hKfHhs & "Lunch, flu shots are incentives as Macomb Co. heads out to count homeless" http://bit.ly/igYyuU
Detroit News: "Volunteers help workers reach out to homeless" http://bit.ly/gqetAV
Macomb Daily: "Lions' Club to provide soup, sandwiches for 400 homeless" http://bit.ly/i0pp7W
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 CHN Partner Charity for Troy Restaurant Week
Mark your calendars for March 20-25, when CHN will be the recipient charity for Troy Restaurant Week!
Fifteen Troy restaurants will team up to bring you Troy Restaurant Week, featuring special menus and pricing. CHN was very excited to be chosen as the partner charity for the event!
Participating restaurants will make a donation to CHN, and will provide information to patrons about CHN and the work we do.
Show your support for CHN and the local economy by eating at a Troy Restaurant Week restaurant March 20-25. Additional information can be found on the Troy Restaurant Week website: http://www.troyrestaurantweek.com/index.php
Hope to see you then! And, please mention to the restaurant staff that you are a CHN supporter, and that you appreciate their support of CHN. Thank you. |
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| We'd love to hear from you! To contact us, please call (248) 928-0111. For media inquiries, or for suggestions regarding this e-newsletter, please call the above number or email aosmer@chninc.net. Visit our website at www.communityhousingnetwork.org. Thank you! |
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