Bessemer HUD
Can you even begin to imagine being homeless for longer than a year or more than 4 times in the past 3 years- sleeping in cars, sleeping under bridges, eating food from a garbage can, wearing dirty clothes day in and day out, being constantly looked at with scorn and disappointment, having your family expect you to "fail" again? Can you imagine having a disability that prevented you from getting a job, an apartment, a normal life? This is the unfortunate situation in which many women all too often find themselves.
First Light recently received a grant from HUD to fund a program in which ten chronically homeless women have obtained something they previously thought out of reach- a HOME. The grant also provides a Permanent Supportive Housing Social Worker dedicated strictly to this group of women. We searched diligently and finally found an apartment community that was excited about working with First Light and saw the value in what we are doing and the huge impact it can have improving lives.
The thrill of walking into an apartment that has been fully stocked by strangers! Do you know what a huge step it is for a women who has been living in and out of shelters for several years to reach this new incredible point in her life? To NOT stand in line for coffee in the morning? To fry an egg in her own kitchen again? To sit on her couch and not lose her seat if she leaves the room for a minute? To lie in a new bed at night with new linens and fluffy pillows? This is one the most profound experiences she will have had in a long time.
The Social Worker assists each of these women as they search for a job closer to their new apartment; learn the bus routes; sign up for water and power bills. She stays in constant contact to help the women stay on target with their goals…if they cannot work they must find volunteer opportunities; they must keep up with their bills; they have to attend their support groups if there is a history of substance abuse. This is about bolstering their sense of pride by first providing housing and then BEING THERE for them to stay on track for success.
FAQ
-
Do these women pay anything for their apartments?
Yes. HUD requires that the women in the program pay a certain percentage of their income back to the sponsoring agency, First Light. A grace period of up to 3 months is allowed during which the women can get their finances in order. Keep in mind that most of these women have not paid rent for many years- because they have been homeless for a long time. -
Do these women have jobs?
Bessemer HUD participants are required to maintain full or part-time employment or volunteer at some agency on a regular basis. Currently, all the women in the program are working!
