shal october 2016 reportshalkw.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-10... · 10/10/2016  · shal...

SHALMonthlyReportOctober2016 1

SouthernmostHomelessAssistanceLeague,Inc.P.O.Box2990,KeyWest,FL33045-2990•www.shalkw.org JohnMiller,ExecutiveDirector PatricePelletier-Sanders,Chair502-876-5092•ExDir.SHAL@gmail.com ChristineTrovato,ViceChair TiffanyCurry,SecretaryEliciaPintabona,OutreachDirector RichardCasey,Jr.TreasurerMikeTolbert,ShelterDirector AlanTeitelbaum,PastChair

SHALMonthlyReport

October2016SHALNewsB

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HomelessMyth#5(of7)#5 “If they have a choice to get services, they will choose not to. Why wouldn’t they?”

Experience has shown that very, very few people would choose to be homeless over having permanent housing. And while some may not voluntarily choose to use services to address medical, behavioral or other issues immediately, experience has also shown that formerly homeless individuals do avail themselves of needed services promptly.

Walgreens,HealthDepartmentGiveFluShotstoHomeless

AlocalWalgreensdrugstorehasvolunteeredtoprovidefreeflushotsonNovember10thand17thtoresidentsoftheSHALhomelessShelter.WalgreensjoinswiththeFloridaDepartmentofHealthinMonroeCountywhovisittheSheltereachmonthtoprovidefreeflushotsandotherservicesforresidentsoftheShelter.SHALisinvitingitsunshelteredclientstotakeadvantageoftheprogramaswell.

Flushotsareimportantforhomelesspeoplebecauseoftheirgenerallyloweredimmunesystems,whichmakethemmorelikelytobecomeinfected.Flushotsarealsoimportantforthecommunitybecausevaccinatedpeoplearelesslikelytopasstheflualongtoothersinhigh-riskgroups(babies,elderly,pregnant,thosewithrespiratoryconditions,etc.)

Inanattempttobeagoodexample,SHALExecutiveDirectorJohnMillerhasvolunteeredtogetthefirstshot!

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SHALSHELTEROPERATIONSShelterUsage

TheClientTrackdatabaseshowsthattherewereabout106clientssleepingintheShelteronanaveragenightinOctober,andtherewere312different(non-duplicated)individualsstayingattheShelterduringthemonth.AlongwithSHALOutreach,SHALservedatotalof350unduplicatedhomelesspersonsduringthemonthofOctober.SHALwasheseverysheet,towelandblanketusedeveryday,sothewearandtearonourlaundryequipmentisextensive.AtthecurrentShelterwehavetouseresidentialqualitywashersanddryers,andsotheydowearoutfrequently.Thisweekwehavelostadryer,soanyonewhomighthaveausedonetodonate,pleasecontactJohnMilleratexdir.shal@gmail.comor502.876.5092.Sincenutritionissoimportanttoescapinghomelessness,SHALShelterDirectorMikeTolbertworkedhardtoaddSt.Mary’sSoupKitchenservingtoSHAL’sregularbreakfastduringOctober,withthemorningofferingfundedinparttoagrantfromtheCommunityFoundationoftheFloridaKeys.Thismonthwehavepurchasedanothernewfreezer(thedonatedonegaveuptheghost)inordertostoretheexpandedbreakfastservingsaswellassomefoodfromSt.Mary’sSoupKitchen.Volunteersarealwaysneededasfood“schleppers”tobringthewonderfulmealsfromSt.Mary’stotheShelter.Thetripiseasyandtakesnotimeatall,butithelpsimmensely.ContactJohnMilleratexdir.shal@gmail.comor502.876.5092forinformation.MikealsoreportedthattherewereseveraldonationsoffoodfromlocalrestaurantsandcaterersthismonththatweaddedtotheeveningmealsfromtheSoupKitchen.Thesetypesofdonationsarewonderfulandhelpusserveamoredeliciousofferingtoourresidents.SHALworkstomakeimprovementslikefood,aswellasenhancementsinsafety,cleanlinessandotheroperationalchangessothatmorehomelesspersonswillutilizetheshelter,helpingtointegratethemintoSHALprogramsandCaseManagement,andmovethemmorequicklytowardself-sufficiency.Webelievethatapersoncannotovercomehomelessnessiftheyaretiredorhungryorsickorhavenoincome.

TherewerenoEMTcallsmadeforShelterclientsinOctober.Clientswithnon-urgentmedicalneedsaretransportedviaautomobile,savingtheCitythecostofanambulancerun.

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SHALOUTREACHServiceSummaryReport•October2016

SHALOutreachprovided600servicesto105differentclientsinOctober.Thisincludedservicesto48Shelteredand57unshelteredhomelesspersonsinKeyWest&Marathon.Althoughtherewereanumberofrequests,noOutreachclientswererelocatedbacktothemainlandandotherstates,wheretheyhavehousingand/oremploymentawaitingthem,inOctober.TheMonroeCountyHSABBoardclaimedthattheSHALbusticketprogramwassomehow“duplicatingservices,”sowehavebeenforcedtosuspendtheSHALreunificationprogramasoftheendofSeptemberuntilwecanreplacethatfunding.SHALcontinuestogetclientrequestsandevencallsfromotheragenciesforrelocationmoney,whichmakesthe“duplication”argumentevenmoreridiculous.Ingeneral,nootheragencyrelocatesshelteredorunshelteredhomelessbacktothemainland.SHALhasprovidedandpaidforover350busticketsforhomelesspersonssince2014.

TotalServices:600HealthCareServicesReferred:14MentalHealth:1CoordinatedAssessments:13.

OtherServices:CaseManagement:122InformationServices:110CellPhones:21Food/Clothing:2

BirthCertificates:22FoodStamps:16 MailingAddress:127LongDist.Relocation:1*

ID/ResidencyServices:67SSIssues:3*SHALsolicitedalocalbusinessownertopayforaticketforawomanabandonedbyherhusband.

SHALOctoberSuccessStories

SHALOutreachsuccessstoriesforOctober: •SHALhelpedamaleclientgetareplacementdirectexpresscardsohecouldrelocatehimselfbacktoClearwaterwherehewillreceivethemedicaltreatmentheneedsandhousingwithafriend.

•WepurchasedamonthlyLowerKeysbuspassforamaleKOTSresidentsohecouldgetbackandforthtoajobatamarinainSugarloafKeypayinghim$18/hour!•SHALhelpedamaleclienttofinallygetapprovedforSSDI,withabackpayof7years!HeiscurrentlyhospitalizedinMiamiandweareworkingintogettinghimintoanAssistive

OtherHighlights-Continuedshowerservicestounshelteredclients.

-ContinuedtoprovidetemporarymailingaddressforSS,FoodStampsandBirthCertificates.

-ContinueexpandedservicestothemiddleKeys.

-Assistedclientswithscabiesobtaintheirmedicalappointmentsandprescriptiontreatments.

-ContinuedmeetingwiththeSubstanceAbuseCouncil,whichisalsoprovidingsomevaluableinsightandnetworkingtootheragenciesandpotentialservices.-ContinuedcommunicationwiththeSheriff’sDepartmentregardingadiversionprogramandalsoabetter-integratedcareplanforreleasedinmatestoreceivefollow-upcasemanagementassistance.

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LivingFacilityupthere.•SHALpurchasedsomenon-slipshoesandpantsforamaleclientsohecouldstartworkatalocalrestaurant.Hehasbeenworkingfulltimeeversinceandissavingforhisownplacetolive!•LastmonththeExecutiveDirectorandOutreachstaffhelpedaclientgetintotheDomesticAbuseShelter.Thismonthwepurchasedbirthcertificatesforbothofherchildren,helpingthemgetenrolledinschooldownhere.Wealsoprovidedpaperstohelphergetanaddresschangesoshecouldgetajob.Herchildrenhavesuccessfullybeeninschoolfor3weeksnowandshehas2jobs!•AndSHALShelterhelpedawomanstayingintheshelterbecauseshewasabandonedbyherhusbandtogetabustickethome,paidforbyalocalbusinesswoman.TheCountyHSABBoardcutSHALofffromrelocationfundingandHousingFirstfunding,sowearecurrentlysearchingforsourcestoreplacethatvitalmoney.Donationsforthiscanbemadeatshalkw.org.•MikealsoreportsthattheShelterfoundjobsinOctoberforanumberofclientsatlocalhotelsandrestaurants.OutreachDirectorEliciaPintabona,andcasemanagersAmyYancichandChanningLamararereachingnewheightseachmonthtohelphomelesspersonsreachself-sufficiency.