April 2010 e-Network News
e-Network News - April 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
Volunteer Comes Full Circle
Volunteer Works from Afar
Q & A with Community Housing Network's Volunteer Coordinator, CJ Felton
Community Housing Network Awarded Grant from Autism Society
Community Housing Network Featured on VolunteerMatch
Message from Marc
Dear Supporter,
Welcome to our inaugural E-Network News! We're very excited about the opportunity to bring you timely information on a more frequent basis than our print newsletter
allows - and at a very low cost.
It's National Volunteer Week, so this issue focuses on something we're also very excited about here at Community Housing Network - our volunteers. Over the past year we've seen our volunteer program grow. Long-standing volunteers continue to make important contributions to our work, and new volunteers bring fresh faces and new ideas. For that, we're very grateful. Our volunteers - you - are a critical part of making our work possible. Together, we are able to accomplish a great deal toward our mission of helping those who are most in need find stable, affordable homes.
We welcome your feedback. Please send comments about this newsletter to aosmer@chninc.net and we'll be sure to respond. And if you like what you read and care about what we do, please consider forwarding this on to a friend!
Best regards,
Marc Craig, President and CEO
From Community Housing Network's e-Network News, a monthly email newsletter. To subscribe, go here.
Volunteer Comes Full Circle
Four years ago, Yvette Thomas was struggling. She was homeless, living in shelters and trying to raise two children.
Then she found Community Housing Network, which provided her with supportive housing through its Leasing Assistance Program. With support from service providers and a roof over her head, Yvette was able to work through some mental health issues, go back to school and find a steady job. Three years ago, she graduated from CHN’s program and moved on to greater independence by securing housing through the HUD-funded Section 8 program. She lives with her children, now 11 and 19, works and volunteers regularly.
“When you don’t have a roof over your head, it’s hard to do anything,” said Yvette about her experience living without a home. “Housing is like the foundation. Without housing I wouldn’t have been able to do day-to-day things. I wouldn’t have been able to see my children. Once I obtained housing and my children could come home, I just wanted to do better and better. It motivated me. Now I have nice things. I’m able to give my kids nice things.”
Current life goals include seeing her son through college – he has a scholarship and is studying business administration at Wayne State University – and making sure her daughter is able to attend college.
Volunteerism has become a big part of Yvette's life. After getting back on her feet, she volunteered for three years as a cheerleader coach, in her kids’ schools and she currently serves on the CHN board.
“It’s always exciting to go back and give. That’s where your blessings come from,” said Yvette. “I want to help and give back to people who need help like I needed help. If you can give back to the community like the community gave to you, that’s an awesome story in itself.”
From Community Housing Network's e-Network News, a monthly email newsletter. To subscribe, go here.
Volunteer Works from Afar
Volunteer Genna Duplisea did not let distance keep her from volunteering for Community Housing Network. Based in Portland, Maine - 700 miles from CHN's Troy, Michigan headquarters - Duplisea is a key player in CHN's social media efforts. She works on the organization's Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages, updating them frequently and making social media recommendations to CHN staff. Read more about Genna in the VolunteerMatch feature on her here.
From Community Housing Network's e-Network News, a monthly email newsletter. To subscribe, go here.
Q & A with Community Housing Network’s Volunteer Coordinator, CJ Felton
Q: What is your role at Community Housing Network as it relates to volunteers?
Felton: My role is to recruit, engage, and then guide our volunteers once they have
joined us. I also track volunteer service hours and activities for our reporting and public relations efforts.
Q: How have volunteers helped Community Housing Network accomplish its mission to help those in need – people who are homeless, people with disabilities and those with low to moderate income – find stable, affordable housing?
Felton: The biggest impact our volunteers have made is improving the quality of the lives of our program participants. Through their efforts with Adopt A Family and our Supply Drive, volunteers are making a meaningful difference for literally hundreds of people.
Q: What are some of the ways volunteers can get involved at Community Housing Network?
Felton: There are a number of ways volunteers can help:
- Organizing donation of supplies (year round)
- Planting flowers/cleaning up homes
- Planning our annual event, Raise the Roof; providing on-site help the night of the event
- Adopt A Family shopping, gift wrapping, gift distribution
- In our Housing Resource Center: answering phones and other work
- Assisting with marketing and PR efforts
- Serving as an AmeriCorps Member
- Providing administrative assistance in the Leasing Assistance Program
- Helping program participants move to their new homes
Q: Can businesses get involved as volunteers?
Felton: Businesses can help by sponsoring a Cleaning Supply and Personal Care item drive, volunteering for Spring Cleanup at one of the homes we own or manage, providing teams for the Homeless Street Count, and coordinating Adopt A Family donations from their employees.
Q: What do you like best about working with volunteers?
Felton: I get great inspiration from working with people who lend their talents and abilities to help others in our community. It is also exciting to see our capacity increase when we engage skilled volunteers.
Q: How can people start volunteering?
Felton: Call me, CJ Felton, at (248) 269-1342 or email me at cjfelton@chninc.net. I’d be happy to talk to you about how we can work together!
From Community Housing Network's e-Network News, a monthly email newsletter. To subscribe, go here.
Community Housing Network Awarded Grant from Autism Society
Community Housing Network recently received a grant from the Autism Society of Oakland County to develop materials and workshop presentations geared toward individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families.
The materials and workshops will assist in the process of moving people with ASD from congregate settings or family-based living toward more independent, inclusive housing options of choice. The main goal of the funded project, which will be carried out over a two-year period, is self-determination for people with ASD, with a secondary goal of increasing community awareness and acceptance of community inclusion.
“We want to be prepared for the wave of individuals with autism approaching adulthood, and support all of the current adults, as they face housing decisions,” said Lisa Kowalski, President of the Autism Society of Oakland County. “The project is meant to support self-determination by guiding individuals and families through the decision-making process of where to live, who to live with, and who will serve as support staff. It’s not a quick process, and we want to give families a resource to start planning."
Materials created will include a comprehensive guide and workbook titled, “Getting My Own Address, A Guide for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Families,” and will provide instruction, encouragement, and resources regarding transitioning from congregant or family-based living situations to more independent housing. The guide will also serve as a tool to raise public awareness about the positive effects of full community inclusion for people living with ASD.
The guide and workbooks will be available at no cost to consumers, their families, service organizations and anyone interested in learning more about independent, inclusive community living options for people with ASD. Workshops will be presented in various locations throughout Oakland County, including service providers’ offices, schools, other public and private community venues and Community Housing Network.
From Community Housing Network's e-Network News, a monthly email newsletter. To subscribe, go here.
Community Housing Network Featured on VolunteerMatch
CHN volunteer Genna Duplisea and CHN employee CJ Felton are featured on VolunteerMatch this month! Check it out here.
From Community Housing Network's e-Network News, a monthly email newsletter. To subscribe, go here.