August 2010 e-Network News

e-Network News - August 2010

Community Housing Network e-Network News is an email newsletter that is delivered once a month to your email in-box. To subscribe, go here.

In this edition:

Message from Marc
CHN Mourns Loss of Colleague
Pepsi Refresh Continues this Month!
CHN Program Participant Finds Success
Raise the Roof Needs Your Help
CHN Awarded Funds to Create Affordable Housing in Macomb County
Kroger Community Rewards - Time to Renew
Save the Dates!


Message from Marc
It's hard to believe that it's August, and that we're looking at the end of summer! I hope that you've found time to enjoy the (mostly) beautiful Michigan summer weather.

Yesterday brought the results of our primary elections, and this fall we'll elect a new governor and a number of local, state and national representatives. I hope that you'll participate in the election process, and that you'll consider those who are homeless and folks with disabilities when making your choices. The people we elect can have a profound impact when it comes to helping the most vulnerable citizens in our communities. This is especially true when it comes to making decisions regarding what programs will be adequately funded, and what programs will be cut.

A few brief notes about the content of this month's e-newsletter:

First and foremost, it is with great sadness that we inform you of the loss of our colleague and friend, Emmett Jones. Emmett was a longtime CHN employee in the Chronically Homeless Leasing Assistance Program and a great asset to our team. He will be greatly missed. Please take a moment to read more about Emmett in the article below.

Finally, are you interested in helping us meet our mission of providing homes and resources to those who need it most, right here in our own backyards? There are two ways you can help this month: Vote for CHN in the Pepsi Refresh competition, and participate in our annual fundraiser by becoming a sponsor, donating an auction item, or attending the event. Check out the articles in this e-newsletter for more information. Thank you!

Best regards,

Marc Craig, President

CHN Mourns Loss of Colleague
Staff and friends of Community Housing Network were saddened last month with the sudden passing of CHN employee Emmett Jones. Emmett served as a supportive service specialist in the Chronically Homeless Leasing Assistance Program.

Perhaps no one at CHN knew Emmett better than Jennifer Williams, program manager at CHN and close friend to Emmett. Here is what she had to say about Emmett:

"Emmett was someone you could depend on. He was honest, had great integrity, and believed in doing what was right. He was a strong member of our team and always had good input into program participant concerns and issues. He had a strong compassion for his job at CHN. He was the epitome of 'tough love',  as he cared very deeply for the well being and success of his program participants. He was straightforth and honest in his expectations for them and gave them all the resources necessary for them to be successful in the program.

When the Chronically Homeless Leasing Assistance Program first started it was just Emmett and I running it, and I remember as we started we made a pact that no matter what we would be partners on this program until the end. We knew we could depend on each other. We worked through the hard times and rejoiced in the successes and triumphs as the program grew. He was such a great friend and partner, and the program would not have become what it has without him as my teammate. I really miss him... He was a great co-worker, and all the staff at CHN will greatly miss him."

Emmett was with CHN for more than 5 years. He is survived by a wife and daughter.

Pepsi Refresh Continues this Month!
After an exciting month of participating in the Pepsi Refresh Program contest, we made it into the top 100 vote-getters! This means that while we haven't won yet -- we are trying for a $50,000 grant to buy furniture for our formerly homeless program participants -- we have another shot at it.

This is where you come in. We hope you'll continue to vote for us during the month of August. It's easy: simply go to our campaign website at www.voteforchn.com and vote! You can find voting tips on that site, including a new way to vote by texting from your phone.

Please note: the Pepsi Refresh website is having some technical issues, and the current project vote rankings are incorrect! While our ranking shows us in the 150 + range, we are actually closer to 40 or so -- which is fantastic! Pepsi is working on correcting the problem.   

You can also sign up to receive daily reminder emails to vote, making it easy to remember to vote every day during the month of August.  Simply send an email to votes@voteforchn.com.

In order to maximize our chances of winning and to help like-minded organizations, CJ Felton, CHN Pepsi Refresh campaign organizer, tooks steps to form a coalition of organizations. All eight organizations, local and throughout the United States, focus on issues related to homelessness.

“We are very excited about teaming up with the organizations in our coalition,” said CJ. “The Pepsi Refresh competition is pretty cutthroat, believe it or not, and we think we’ve found a group of trustworthy partners who are invested in winning, competing fairly and having fun at the same time. We were careful in forming a group of organizations who have a similar cause – helping those who are homeless – which makes it easy for people who care about homelessness to vote for all of us.”

Coalition members have pledged to encourage their supporters to vote for all of the members via media such as emails, flyers, websites and social media. This includes posting messages on Facebook and Tweeting to encourage people to vote for the entire group.

Coalition organizations include the Macomb Charitable Foundation in Macomb County, Mich; The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division; The Salvation Army in Knoxville, Tenn.; Spokane Community Warehouse, Spokane, Wash; Help Minnesota Veterans, Rosemount, Minn.; OASIS Food Pantry in St. Charles, Mo.; and We C.A.R.E. Kit Project in Prospect, Conn.

"Ours is a common goal, to reach out and help those less fortunate in our community. When we align ourselves with others who are like-minded, we all win,” said Shelly Penzien, president of the Macomb Charitable Foundation, who was the first coalition partner to join forces with Community Housing Network earlier in July. Macomb Charitable Foundation won the competition in July, and attributes winning in part to being a member of the coalition.

“People helping people is why we started the We C.A.R.E. Kit project,” added Tracey Scott, who co-founded We C.A.R.E. along with her two children, ages five and seven.  “Being part of Pepsi Refresh and this coalition shows my kids the power we can possess – the  power to ask, the power to love, the power to care, the power to help.”

Each coalition member hopes to be within the top ten vote-earners in its dollar category, effectively winning that amount.

A link featuring the list of coalition organizations can be found on www.voteforchn.com by clicking on the “Vote Now” button.  

CHN Program Participant Finds Success
Jewell Harris was leading a stable life when she fell on hard times. She had always had good-paying jobs in administrative roles at Fortune 500 companies, but in 2002 she lost her job and then her home.

“I was one of the first people to lose everything with the bad economy,” Jewell said. “I didn’t know what hit me.”

The primary caregiver for many in her family, no one was able to help when Jewell needed it. “I was the caregiver for all of them,” Jewell said. “And nobody could help me.”

She found herself homeless, living in shelters and in her car for several years. She was occasionally able to find temporary employment, but it never lasted long enough to help her get back on her feet and into stable housing.  She also suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and other illnesses.  

“It was the scariest thing I have ever been through,” she said. “I was so hopeless.”

The church Jewell belonged to galvanized around her, helping to steer her toward the supportive services she needed. It was through this group that she heard about Community Housing Network, which proved to be a turning point in her seemingly endless cycle of homelessness.

“When CHN stepped in, that was my breakthrough,” she said.

Jewell was accepted into Community Housing Network’s Leasing Assistance Program that helps people who are homeless find stable, affordable housing. That program helped Jewell find an apartment and helped her with the portion of the rent she was unable to pay. She was assigned a supportive service specialist who checked in on her regularly, helped her create realistic housing goals, and encouraged her to seek support from other agencies.

Jewell has since left the Leasing Assistance Program, finding more permanent housing through the HUD Section 8 Program. She is thrilled with her Royal Oak apartment and thanks those who helped her along the way. “CHN is a true blessing,” she said. “I will forever be grateful.”

Raise the Roof Needs Your Help!
We are very excited about our annual fundraising event, Raise the Roof for Affordable Housing. This year we'll be celebrating 10 years of helping folks with disabilities and others in need find stable, affordable housing.

We'd love to get your help with the evening. Whether you are interested in attending, donating an auction item, becoming a sponsor, or all of the above -- we'd be thrilled for you to participate!

"So far we've got some great sponsors, including HOUR Detroit magazine, O'Brien Construction, MSHDA, and others, and we'd love to have more jump on board," said Cindy Boudreau, co-chair of the event. "It's a wonderful opportunity for excellent exposure for your business, and it's for a great cause. We're also grateful for the auction item donations we've received so far, and we look forward to more. As with sponsoring, donating auction items can be a great way to let people know about your product or services."

Please visit our Raise the Roof for Affordable Housing web page for more information. We look forward to partnering with you!

CHN Awarded Funds to Create Affordable Housing in Macomb County
CHN has received $155,095 from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis' (FHLBI) Affordable Housing Program. Coupled with Macomb County HOME Consortium funds, the FHLBI grant will be used to acquire and rehabilitate six properties that will serve as affordable housing for up to 14 people with disabilities in Macomb County.

“We are thrilled about receiving this grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis,” said Marc Craig, president of Community Housing Network.  “We receive calls all the time from families and service providers in Macomb seeking affordable housing for folks with disabilities.  It’s an urgent need. This grant will help us meet some of that need.”

The six properties to be rehabilitated will be in neighborhoods in Macomb HOME consortium communities, with priority given to Clinton Township, Sterling Heights and Roseville.  Eligible people with disabilities will lease the homes and will receive services from one or more of the following service providers: Macomb County Mental Health, Macomb Oakland Regional Center (MORC), Macomb Residential Opportunities and ARC of Macomb County.

Community Housing Network uses a “scattered site” approach to housing development.  “We prefer to build smaller properties in desirable neighborhoods, with easy access to amenities such as shopping, public transportation, places of worship and other services,” said Craig.  “We find this is a model that promotes successful independent living, and benefits the community overall.”

Total cost for rehabilitation of the six homes is $602,207; anticipated construction completion date is February, 2011.

Kroger Community Rewards - Time to Renew!
Community Housing Network is part of the Kroger Community Rewards program, helping to put your grocery dollars to work! If you are signed up for this program, you need to renew in order to continue benefiting CHN. Renewing is easy - simply follow the instructions here. Thank you! We appreciate your support.

Save the Dates!
August 1 - August 31: Vote for CHN in the Pepsi Refresh Program contest! Vote here.

Sat., Sept. 11: Leadership Oakland will host a fundraiser for CHN at JD Keys Club in Pontiac. $10 admission includes delicious, healthy food thanks to Henry's of Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital! Doors open at 7 p.m.

Thur., Oct. 14: We'll hold our annual fundraiser, Raise the Roof for Affordable Housing, from 6:30-10:00 p.m. Sponsorships are still available! Contact Anne Osmer for more information: aosmer@chninc.net / (248) 269-1336 or visit our event web page.