| CHN Seeks Sponsors/Volunteers | |
Do you care about housing for people with disabilities? Do you consider yourself an advocate for those who are homeless?
Then CHN has a great opportunity for you!
Become a sponsor of Raise the Roof for Affordable Housing, our annual event that will take place this year on October 6th.
Raise the Roof is a great way to contribute to a good cause, and to showcase your business or organization!
Please see more here .
For sponsorship information or to volunteer for Raise the Roof, please contact Leslie Groves at Lgroves@chninc.net or(248) 268-1312. | |
 Program Seeks to Ensure Seat at CoC Table for People with Developmental
Disabilities | Community Housing Network is excited to launch a new program that aims to help people with developmental disabilities play a greater role in shaping the plans of their local Continuums of Care.
The program, funded through a grant from the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council, is designed to educate and empower people with disabilities and
stakeholders such as secondary consumers, disability advocacy and rights organizations, and service providers
to become full participants in their local Continuums of Care.
A Continuum of Care (CoC) is a collaborative body of community stakeholders that develops plans to organize and deliver housing services to meet the needs of people who are homeless. A main goal of each CoC is to alleviate and even end homelessness in its area. Many funding applications for HUD programs and other programs are organized by the CoCs, and so they have a great impact on affordable housing programs for people who are homeless and people with disabilities. Increasingly, HUD and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) are looking to the CoCs to coordinate all housing plans, resources and solutions within their communities.
Unfortunately, people with developmental disabilities and their stakeholders have not played a great role in CoCs to date. "Working with Continuum of Care Bodies" seeks to make sure that going forward, they have a seat at the table.
The next orientation meeting, for people served by the Oakland County CoC, will be held July 25 at CHN's offices. Please contact Yvette Thomas ythomas@chninc.net or Juanita Harper jharper@chninc.net if you are interested in the meeting, or if you would like to learn more about the program. | |
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Save the Date!
July 25: Working With Continuum of Care Bodies - Oakland County meeting, 1:30 p.m., Community Housing Network in Troy. More information here.
October 6: CHN's annual Raise the Roof for Affordable Housing event! We are currently seeking sponsors and volunteers. Please contact Leslie Groves for more information:
(248) 269-1312 or LGroves@chninc.net
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Message from Marc
Dear Supporter  I hope you are doing well on these hot summer days! The weather hasn't slowed us down at CHN. We are excited to announce some new funding and initiatives: - Almost $1 million in grant funds from the Macomb County Consortium 2011 HOME Program to create housing for people with disabilities read more here...
- A new program, funded by the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council, to empower people with disabilities to have a voice in their local Continuums of Care read more here...
We are also very pleased about a recent event Attorneys Title Agency held that raised more than $10,000 for CHN (read more here), and clean-up days organized by community partners Keller Williams of Troy and Ford Motor Company (more about those here).
Thank you to our wonderful supporters and funders!
Keep cool.
Sincerely,
Marc Craig
President
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Community Housing Network Receives Funds for New Housing in Macomb County
 Community Housing Network has been designated as the housing developer for properties to be rehabilitated using $932,400 in grant funds from the Macomb County Consortium 2011 HOME Program. The grant, awarded to Springhill Housing Corp. who is a community partner with CHN, will be used by the organization to acquire and rehabilitate six properties for people with disabilities in Macomb County.
"We are very excited about this opportunity to create additional affordable housing opportunities for people with disabilities in Macomb County," said Marc Craig, president of CHN. "We would like to thank Macomb County for awarding the funds. There is a serious shortage of housing for folks with disabilities in Macomb County and throughout southeast Michigan, and we are grateful for funding that allows us to continue our mission to meet that need."
The houses are projected to be completed in late 2012, and will provide supportive housing to eligible people who receive services through Macomb County Community Mental Health. CHN will provide property management services on the houses for Springhill Housing Corp. |
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After Brain Injury, Supportive Housing Helps Man Move On
Within days of being involved in a car accident, Ernest Houser, a professional boxer, experienced a seizure that caused him to fall and hit his head on the concrete. Life as he knew it changed completely. The fall left Ernest in a coma and when he awoke, he had no remembrance of his past. His mind was wiped clean, and he had to re-learn basic skills like walking, talking, reading and writing.
"I was like a newborn baby in a grown man's body," Ernest explained, and with few skills to help him in everyday life, Ernest ended up without a place of his own to call home. A good Samaritan took notice of his plight and connected Ernest with the people at Community Housing Network.
Ernest now has his own apartment through CHN's Leasing Assistance Program, and he also has bus passes and money to buy home supplies. "I am forever grateful that CHN has helped me with every aspect you can imagine and went well beyond what I could have ever expected," Ernest said.
"The hardest thing to overcome was not knowing who to talk to or who to speak with, but CHN is just wonderful," Ernest said. "Without them I don't know who or where I'd be. It's a blessing that all I have to do is make one call, and they're there for me."
Now fifteen years after waking from the coma, Ernest is in the process of writing a book about his experiences and hopes to provide encouragement to people in similar situations.
- Written by CHN Intern Mary Hannahan |
Attorneys Title Agency Holds Walk for CHN
Attorneys Title Agency held a "Walk to End Homelessness" this past  Saturday at the Detroit Zoo, raising more than $10,000 for CHN. Read more about the successful event here.
More photos can be found on CHN's Flickr page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/communityhousingnetwork/.
Thank you, Attorneys Title Agency! |
Spring Events Spruce Up Houses in Oakland and Wayne Counties
Volunteers came together in Oakland and Wayne counties in late May to spruce up the houses of people with disabilities.
In Oakland County, Keller Williams of Troy cleaned up several properties, pulling weeds and adding mulch and flowers. See photos  | | A Ford employee revs up! |
here .
In Wayne County, Ford Motor Company employees tackled re-landscaping at homes throughout the county. See photos here .
Both events were a huge success. Thank you Keller Williams of Troy , and Ford Motor Company employees!
Thanks also to our community partner Chazzano Coffee Roasters , who provided coffee for the Wayne County teams. (If you haven't tried Chazzano's coffee yet, you are missing out.) |
Congratulations to CHN Staffers
Congratulations to the following CHN employees who recently
completed Speechcraft, an eight-week long course in public speaking sponsored by Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority (OCCMHA):
Christine Austin, Sherryl Lax, Darlene Logan, Linda Poloni and Yvette Thomas!
 | | Darlene Logan |
And, special congrats to Darlene Logan for her appointment to the OCCMHA Board of Directors!
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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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