CHN Network News, 9th Edition

December 2005

Marc's Message: Remembering Local Needs

I would like to talk about various aspects of giving in this issue of Network News, as we are now in the midst of the holiday season for many groups and religions. I recently saw an article that essentially said it is important to remember the people in our local areas who continue to need services and housing, while we are focusing on others affected by hurricanes and natural disasters throughout the country and the world. I agree with this point of view.

We can hold this perspective and still not minimize the suffering of the people who are victims of hurricanes and earthquakes. We must, however, acknowledge there are a lot of unmet needs in our own community and we must still direct some resources at home. It is not that one cause is any more or less important than another cause. In times of great need what is called for is that people who are able to dig a little bit deeper do so. Especially as we go into winter, it makes one mindful that there are thousands of people in Southeast Michigan who are homeless or are on the edge of homelessness. So they also need our help in these fiscally difficult times. Frequently, when people are uncertain about their own economic situation, they tend to be less expansive about their giving strategies. This is understandable. However, for the people who are already in need, it is a moment when they need our generosity now more than ever.

In a period when people are concerned about their own well-being, one of the healthiest and most gratifying actions to take is to give to someone else. We are in extremely challenging times which make it even tougher on the people who touch our work and who we touch in some fashion. They are the folks who are most impacted by the economic uncertainty that we are all facing. We cannot forget that people in our local communities experience their own personal disasters that can be every bit as devastating to them as the suffering of victims of natural disasters. Taking care of ones' own is the essence of community. We need to redouble our giving efforts to meet both near and distant needs.

We understandably worry about the cherished and limited resources that we have available to help out with our problems in Oakland County. And I think we need to advocate for the people whose needs we are most familiar with on several levels. We must make more people aware of the needs of our citizens with disabilities and we must let our elected officials know that this need is an important need, right here and right now.

That said, it is clear to me that through the budgeting process so far, it has been evident that our Congressional delegation and members of Congress, particularly Congressman Knollenberg, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee for HUD, Transportation and Treasury, have expressed very keen interest in the housing needs of people with disabilities, and it is clear to me they have done everything possible to allocate resources in our direction.

So for now let us not forget those among us who need a helping hand as well as those in other parts of the country and the world who are experiencing devastation and loss. Let's all take a look at what we can give; donating that extra vehicle to Charity Motors, donating our time, money or auction items used for fundraising. Dawn Pischel, myself, the Board of Directors and the entire CHN staff wish you peace and prosperity during this time of various religious and secular celebrations.

Save the Date!

The HOMES Coalition annual dinner and auction to benefit Community Housing Network will be held on Friday, February 3, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at Penna's Restaurant in Sterling Heights.

CHN Program Participants Say "Thank You, Everyone!"

On behalf of the over 200 individuals and families with disabilities who have benefited from the efforts of Community Housing Network, we thank you; the local, state, federal, individual, and corporate supporters who have made the CHN programs possible. Thank you for valuing us as unique individuals and for helping us to fulfill our personal dreams.

Chuck's Home Care Corner Winter & Holiday Tips

According to the Associated Press dated Oct. 12, 2005, the winter heating bills will be a third to a half higher for most families across the country, with the sharpest increases expected for those who heat with natural gas. This edition of the Home Care Corner will focus on safety tips during the holiday season and energy saving suggestions

Energy and Money Conserving Tips
Some of the best money and energy saving tips start with how we do things around the house. Putting storm windows up for the winter, keeping the garage door closed, keeping outside doors closed except to walk through, not talking inside the doorway, and installing a electronic thermostat are some of the cheapest, easiest ways to conserve energy and are inexpensive actions we can take to offset the raising energy costs. Here are just a few others:

Switch to washing clothes in cold water, do full loads of laundry.
Clean the dryer lint filter after every laundry load.
Dry towels and heavier items separately from lighter weight items.
Replace most used incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. The compact fluorescents not only use less electricity, they also emit much less heat.
Check the level of insulation in the exterior and basement walls, ceilings, attic, floors, and crawl spaces.
Check for holes or cracks around walls, ceilings, windows, doors, lighting and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets.
Check for open fireplace dampers.
Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained.
Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt about how to perform this task, call a professional.
Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans wisely; turn fans off as soon as they have done the job.
Keep draperies and shades open on south-facing windows during the heating season to allow sunlight to enter and close them at night.
As much as 10% can be saved on heating and cooling bills by simply turning the thermostat back 10% to 15% for 8 hours.

Holiday Safety Tips
When decorating indoor trees, greenery, or exterior shrubs, always use safe tree lights designed for their specific use and listed by a testing laboratory. Never use electric lights on a metal tree.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to use tree lights. Any string of lights with worn, frayed or broken cords or loose bulb connections should not be used.
Always unplug tree lights before leaving home or going to sleep.
Never use lit candles to decorate a tree, and place them well away from tree branches.
Try to keep live trees as moist as possible by giving them plenty of water daily. Do not purchase a tree that is dry or dropping needles.
Choose a sturdy tree stand designed not to tip over.
When purchasing an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled as fire-retardant.
Children are fascinated with holiday trees. Keep a watchful eye on them when around the tree and do not let them play with the wiring or lights.
Make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source and try to position it near an outlet so that cords are not running long distances. Do not place the tree where it may block exits.
Safely dispose of the tree when it begins dropping needles. Dried-out trees are highly flammable.

CHN Program Participants Find Success and Help Others

At Community Housing Network we often see people with disabilities volunteer to help others because they want to be more than recipients; they also want to be contributors. People with disabilities want to take part in the process of giving while they are forging self-determined lives of increasing independence and choice. Disability does not preclude the desire to contribute and, unfortunately, we do not always honor that desire. We are pleased to present some vignettes that highlight both individual personal successes and instances in which our program participants have actualized their desire to make a difference in the lives of others, even as they continue to receive our services and support.

An extraordinary young man was a chef before experiencing mental illness. He joined the CHN Leasing Assistance Program and has started his own business as a personal chef. To date, he has worked for a local TV personality and provided a delicious meal for an Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority function, among others. In addition, he has volunteered to instruct members of the Independent Living Club in economical ways to prepare healthy meals.

People living in a group home used money they raised from a yard sale to donate to the CHN 2004 Holiday Program. These selfless individuals will no doubt want to contribute in some way to the program again this year.

Two very special and very low income Leasing Assistance Program (LAP) participants regularly make small but meaningful financial donations to CHN .

Life is good for two gentlemen with disabilities who utilized the CHN Housing Resource Center's Roommate Database to locate each other. They now share a condo and have saved on expenses while complimenting each others' unique abilities. They have learned to help one another when confronted with the everyday challenges of working, learning, socializing and furthering their independence.

Our very 1st LAP participant has purchased the home she leased with CHN assistance and has left the program to live self-sufficiently.

Independent Living Club Update

The word is out. The CHN Independent Living Club (ILC) has been picking up steam in recent months as more individuals with disabilities, their family, friends, and support persons take part in the unique, fun-filled, and educational monthly meetings. The club is open to anyone with a disability who is living independently in Oakland County or who desires to live independently. Family, friends, and advocates are also welcome.

The ILC was developed to offer an ongoing program of education, self-help, and mutual support. The monthly meeting format addresses a wide range of home ownership and leasing related topics and can include interesting outside speakers on certain subjects. Club members recently completed a two part series about understanding, identifying, and dealing with stress. Each person took a short test to see what personally caused them stress. They also received a stress ball and an informational packet for further reference. Members suggestions for meeting topics are always taken into consideration when planning the monthly formats. Future meetings will explore topics such as healthy food preparation, budget wise shopping, seasonal home maintenance, and personal development. Door prizes and snacks are another highlight of the meetings and no one goes home empty handed. The monthly ILC meetings, facilitated by CHN consultant, Jillian Alexander, MSW, are currently being held on the 3rd Monday of each month in the Community Housing Network conference room from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Please contact the CHN Housing Resource Center at 248-928-0111 for more information or to be placed on the ILC mailing list.

CHN Leasing Assistance Participant Receives MACMHB Award

It was with dignity and grace that Ms. Donna Johnson, a Community Housing Network, Leasing Assistance Program participant, accepted The Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Board "Partners in Excellence" award at the organization's 2005 Fall Conference. Marc Craig, CHN President and CEO, was also in attendance to receive recognition on behalf of CHN. The award is designed to recognize those who have, in the process of utilizing community mental health services, enhanced the perception of those services and their recipients within the community.

The Metro Region of MACMHB nominated CHN and Ms. Johnson for the honor last spring. Community Housing Network is an organization that is dedicated to securing safe, affordable housing for persons with disabilities in Oakland County. The CHN Supportive Housing Leasing Assistance Program offers persons with disabilities who are homeless an opportunity to lease an apartment in the area of their choice. Ongoing supportive services provide a foundation on which to build useful, independent and fulfilling lives.

Mr. Bill Allen, Director of the Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority made the presentation to Donna and remarked, "We all know that for any consumer in our system, one of the most important supports that is needed is safe and affordable housing and housing where you chose to live rather than the system telling you where to live. CHN and the many positive examples such as Donna help to make that dream come alive and also set the example for others that this dream is possible for anybody in our service system. There are many consumers that have benefited from the programs at CHN and have gone on to be examples to other consumers."

Mr. Craig commented during the presentation, "I would like to thank OCCMHA for recognizing the importance of housing and for getting CHN started, enabling us to become involved with Donna and so many other consumers, and to help them realize their dreams of leading self-determined lives." Marc also noted that the award is all about the extraordinary perseverance of the individual in partnership with OCCMHA and the core providers.

During the conference, Ms. Johnson had the good fortune to meet many people who were dedicated to removing the stigma still surrounding individuals receiving mental health services. She was especially pleased to speak with Eric Hipple, former Detroit Lions quarterback and a conference keynote speaker. Mr. Hipple's commitment to expanding awareness of mental health services stems from the tragedy of losing his son to suicide. The openness and candor with which both Donna and Eric disclosed their experiences with mental illness can contribute toward eliminating the stigma that prevents others from seeking assistance.

Donna Johnson demonstrates great determination in confronting her challenges. She also works toward reducing the derogatory label sometimes associated with mental illness by presenting the example of her full, active, and constructive life. For several years Donna was among the homeless working poor. She slept on the floor when she did have shelter because she could afford no furniture. And when she had no place to stay at all, she would ride the bus for days and nights at a time. After a bus she was riding was shot at in the middle of the night, Donna knew she had to ask for help. Fortunately, she was put in touch with Easter Seals and with CHN.

Jennifer Williams, the CHN Supportive Housing Navigator, located an apartment near Donna's place of employment. When Donna moved in she had only the clothes on her back. It was the first time in years she was not afraid of being evicted. Today, she works, shops, drives, entertains friends, and is active in her church. Donna has accepted the fact that she will most likely need to take medication and see doctors or therapists for the rest of her life. She also knows that this reality does not preclude her from living fully and independently, in the manner of her choice. By utilizing services from CHN and OCCMHA core providers, Donna has established a vital partnership that has allowed her to live successfully and to motivate others with mental illness to do the same.

With Great Appreciation

The past year has been one of tremendous growth and accomplishment for Community Housing Network. We could not have so positively impacted the lives of our program participants without the generosity, commitment, and support of the many individuals, groups and businesses that recognize the vital need for people with disabilities to enjoy affordable housing of their choice. In this "holiday" edition we want to thank everyone who has supported CHN with the giving of their time, participation and financial support throughout 2005.

We specifically want to recognize those who have contributed since the previous edition of Network News went to press. Thanks for a grant we received from The Home Depot to help with the cost of building a ramp/deck for a CHN homeowner. Thanks also to Maplewood Construction for doing the construction and donating the labor and any extra material cost for this project. In addition, Flagstar Bank offered a generous donation for which we are grateful.

We also want to thank all the people who provided input to the needs assessment, including core providers, families, support services staffs, advocates, & people with disabilities. They have all been gracious in giving us their time and offerings. Please be assured that your voices have been heard. Outcomes from the needs assessment and the strategic plan will be forthcoming soon.

Donate That Old Vehicle & Help People with Disabilities

You can help someone with a disability find safe and affordable housing today by donating that old vehicle to Charity Motors. Vehicles need not run\uffff Free timely pick-up. Please call Charity Motors at (313) 255-1000 and designate COMMUNITY HOUSING NETWORK as your charity of choice.

CHN "Season of Sharing" Program

It's that time of year again. The holiday season is fast approaching and Community Housing Network is once again holding their Season of Sharing program. We wanted to invite you to be a part of the program this year and help make a huge impact on another person's life.

We are looking for compassionate people interested in adopting formerly homeless families and individuals with disabilities. Community Housing Network has been awarded 3 additional grants this year which brings our total count of families and individuals to over 150! The Leasing Assistance Program will accept cash donations as well as donated gifts for our consumers. We have collected wish lists from our clients, so please contact us for more information.

Help make our consumers' holiday season as warm and comforting as yours will be. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Williams, Supportive Housing Navigator, at (248) 928-0111 extension 212. Thank you for helping to make our holiday program a success!