DO FOUNDATION, INC. www.dofoundation.net

(O) 248-325-8395 info@dofoundation.net

DO Foundation Programs For People who are

HOMELESS

This booklet describes DO Foundation’s programs for individuals who are or on the verge of homelessness. The booklet provides a definition and description of each program provided or to be provided by DO Foundation. DO Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization designated by the Internal Revenue Code. All donations are tax deductible.

What is HOMELESSNESS? Homelessness is the condition and social status of people who lack fixed housing, usually because they cannot afford a regular, safe, and adequate shelter. An individual is homeless when he or she has no place to live to meet their basic needs. The Federal Definition of Homelessness

1. An individual who lacks fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; and

2. An individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is – a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing); an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

The people that are most likely to become homeless are: Young adults leaving home for the first time; Elderly, Persons with children; Individuals with physical or mental disabilities; Individuals earning minimum wage or less; Children transitioning out of Foster care or awaiting foster care placement; Teen moms, Single parents; Divorced individuals; Migrant children and most recently risen, families, who are the largest and fastest growing segment of the homeless population today. The conditions that define homelessness are:

1. Doubling up with family and friends (multi-family homes) 2. Living in motels and hotels for lack of suitable housing. 3. Runaway children. 4. Homeless and domestic violence shelters 5. Transitional housing 6. Living on the streets 7. Living in abandoned buildings 8. Living in public places not meant for housing 9. Living in cars, trailers or campgrounds 10. Moving from relative/friend to relative/friend

The main causes of homelessness vary from lack of affordable housing, sudden and ongoing health problems (lack of affordable health care), domestic violence, natural and other disasters (i.e. flooding, fire), poverty, mental illness, eviction, relationship problems, unemployment or under employment, divorce, lack of a support system, drug and alcohol abuse and lack of education.

DO Foundation’s (DOF) major goal is to forge partnerships and relationships with other likeminded organizations, from a state, local, national or private sector to help people who are homeless achieve their maximum potential on the road to self-sufficiency. Our programs: → Prevention → Outreach → Intake & Assessment → Referral Services → Transitional Housing → Education & Awareness → 24 hour Day/Night Center Services DOF will provide model support for individuals, children and families living in a state of homelessness, which will accomplish either directly through DOF or through partnerships and/or referrals to other service providers in the following areas: → Job Placement Opportunities → Drug & Alcohol Treatment Centers → Residential support

(i.e. community living, transitional housing, low income housing or emergency shelters.)

→ Financial Planning → Prevention Programs → Family Support & Family Education → Assessment → On-site Resource Centers

(i.e. laundry service, transportation, warming/cooling center, telephone usage, computer usage, counseling, etc.)

VISION: DO Foundation will integrate a system of quality services and connections to other like-minded organizations that will provide resources to prevent homelessness, and transition families and/or individuals who are homeless back to a life of self-sufficiency, thereby initiating an end to chronic homelessness across our nation.

INTAKE & ASSESSMENT 

The intake & assessment program is the first step under the umbrella of DO Foundation (DOF) programs and services. This is your introduction to what we offer as an organization and how we can help you. The process of intake and assessment is to meet with qualified social workers to assess your individual needs. There are eligibility screening procedures and protocols which will entail a detailed questionnaire about your history and resources to ensure that the appropriate referrals are made and any enrollment procedures result in individuals and/or families maximizing their opportunity to receive aid and/or services that they are entitled to, or can benefit from. Intake & Assessment is designed to ensure that DOF personnel properly address an individual and their specific needs. It will also streamline the aid process, thereby eliminating redundancy and helping to alleviate an already stressful situation. All individuals and/or families “must” go through our intake & assessment department before other services and/or programs can be rendered.

PREVENTION

DO Foundation’s Prevention Services address “Crisis Management”. In other words, you have a critical need, and we have an immediate solution. This program is for individuals and/or families who require immediate assistance to prevent the loss of housing. Such services may include, but are not limited to: referral to organizations (such as: Thaw or United Way) to help avert utility shut off, contacting a leasing office to avoid eviction. If all efforts fail, DO Foundation can, and may, provide (on a limited basis) “on the spot” emergency assistance for eviction prevention. {However, there are requirements for receiving this type of aid that will be thoroughly discussed at the time when, and if, this becomes necessary}. Individuals and/or families who receive assistance through our prevention program “must” participate in our education service which can provide you with the tools needed to ensure that you are on the right path to success, thus not allowing you to revisit the threat of homelessness in the future.

REFERRAL SERVICES

There are two types of referrals, Immediate and Long Term. “Immediate Referrals” are those of an emergent nature, such as Emergency Shelters, Medical or Mental Health, Prevention, and/or Drug & Alcohol Addiction. Immediate referrals will be addressed the moment an individual and/or family completes Intake & Assessment. Once the need is assessed and the individual is determined to be in need of immediate assistance, they will be referred over to our Referral Services department. “Long Term” refers to situations of a less than emergent nature, such as Transitional Housing, Outreach, Job Placement, Education & Awareness, and Financial Planning. Based on the initial assessment, each person will work with one of our qualified Referral Agents (RA), who will contact the applicable facilities on behalf of the individual. These facilities may include, (but are not limited to): drug & alcohol clinics or rehabilitation centers, emergency shelters for immediate housing needs, medical or mental health facilities, job placement agencies and organizations, as well as food banks. The RA will make initial contact, then direct & guide the individual to the appropriate person within the contacted establishment.

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING

DO Foundation’s Transitional Housing program will help coordinate admission into supportive housing that is both affordable and appropriate for the delivery of supportive services to individuals and/or families; such as: Welfare, Food Stamps, WIC and general state or federal aid.

EDUCATION & AWARENESS

Our Education & Awareness programs are designed to enlighten individuals on Personal Responsibility, and are centered around Prevention – not only understanding HOW you got where you are, but how to prevent future recurrence once you’ve overcome it. We also provide hands on training in financial literacy and financial planning. We will guide you through areas from basic banking, to budgeting & strategies of long term success. Our goal is to help you achieve financial responsibility and personal financial success.

RESOURCE DAY/NIGHT CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS

DO Foundation’s Resource Day/Night Center for the homeless will be equipped with showers, laundry services, access to telephones, internet, computers and fax machines. It will be a cooling center in the hot summer months and a warming center in the cold winter months. This center will allow and individual and/or family living on the streets, in cars, motels, abandoned buildings, etc. a safe haven to come and access current events (i.e. television, news, newspapers), and will continue to provide personal hygiene items and services that include volunteer barbers, stylist and general grooming specialist. DO Foundation’s referral center which allows us to direct individuals to other organizations for assistance will be housed in our Resource Day/Night Center for the homeless.

OUTREACH Hitting the Streets for the Homeless

Outreach (“DOF style”) tends to some of the immediate needs of a homeless individual living on the streets. We accomplish this by “Hitting The Streets For The Homeless”. Our volunteers take clothing items, DO Bags, a warm & friendly disposition and the desire to help out with them across the country. This is in addition to our all access Resource center where the homeless can come in out of the cold, make telephone calls, wash their clothes, get a hot shower, and have a bit of much needed “privacy”. Our outreach services aids individuals in need of obtaining personal identification and/or acquiring the necessary documentation for other potential programs and/or organizations from which they can benefit. To date our outreach program has been a huge success not only in the Detroit area, but Minnesota, Florida, Virginia, South Carolina and the West Coast and continues to grow with DOF supporters and volunteers hitting the streets on behalf of the DO Foundation.

DO Bags include (but are not limited to):

Zip Lock Freezer bags

Roll of toilet paper Toothbrush/toothpaste

Hand sanitizer/Bar of soap Socks (most asked for item)

Travel size shampoo Disposable razor/shaving cream

Comb/Pick Chap stick Deodorant

Fruit cup/w plastic ware Bottled water Canned meat

Beef Jerky/Cheese Sticks Crackers/Gum

For ladies (female feminine products)

DO Bags are put together by our volunteers and distributed directly to the homeless.

MISSION

DO Foundation holds the essential belief that ALL PEOPLE, no matter their walk of life, are entitled to Dignity, Respect, and the Opportunity to realize or regain a life of self-sufficiency

through community involvement and assistance, as opposed to living in an unsheltered state of homelessness.

The Mission of the DO Foundation (DOF) is to connect directly with the homeless for a personal

account of their immediate needs, and to generate community support in conjunction with implementing cost-effective programs to aid and assist them with meeting those needs.

Homelessness is indiscriminate. Likewise, the DO Foundation will remain open to the needs of those who are homeless, whether their state of homelessness is due to financial hardship, mental health related issues, addiction, flight from abusive circumstances, or lack of general support, as

often is the case with Veterans and former inmates transitioning back into society.

Background and History The DO Foundation began in 2009 as a volunteer group of 2 hitting the streets to provide for the immediate needs of those living in the homeless population, also by providing an all expense paid evening out to selected individuals residing in shelters and/or transitional housing units across the country. Today the organization provides support to hundreds of people with immediate on the spot relief through the distribution of our DO Bags. DO Foundation’s assistance is designed to support those living on the streets with the immediate essentials needed to survive while gathering necessary information to aid DOF in implementing programs and services to aid in transitioning these individuals and/or families back into a life of self-sufficiency. The strategic direction of DOF in response to its understanding of what its serviced individuals value most about the organization, and the current opportunities and challenges for offering a high quality system of support in the communities across the country. DOF will spend time assessing and deepening its approach to its work, concurrently, DOF will take more of a leadership role in working with a broader array of community resources, and it will explore actively engaging more volunteers.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

You can help first by simply CARING! Although the concern and support received by volunteers who work hard to advocate, bring awareness to our cause is essential, assistance in the form of donations are also a necessity if we want to work together to eradicate homelessness. DONATE today! Go to: http://www.dofoundation.net/donate.htm or: Mail donations to: C/O DO Foundation P.O. Box 251151 West Bloomfield, MI 48325 Other items and services needed include: → In-Kind materials and services. printing, copying, marketing assistance, computers, Promotional and public relations services, office equipment. → Clothing. Coats/Gloves/Socks/Hats/Scarves → Books. When spending the night in a shelter many choose the time before dozing off To read books/magazines/newspapers. →DO Bags: Essential items listed above and on our website. (Create and Distribute) → Job Opportunities → Raise funds for DO Foundation or one of our programs. → Give directly to people who are homeless. → Advocate / Reach Out / Educate → Simply Smile. Making eye contact, saying a few kind words, or smiling can reaffirm the Humanity of a person that living in a state of homelessness has stripped away.

HOW TO CONTACT DOF DO Foundation’s Programs and services are available statewide and throughout various other states. Staff members and volunteers provide assistance and representation when needed. DOF develops plans each year identifying and prioritizing areas where advocacy will be provided. If we cannot be of assistance, information will be given. An Intake Specialist will talk with you to get an understanding of your concerns. Problems can often be resolved over the telephone. In some cases, additional help from DOF staff and volunteers are required. DO Foundation, Inc. 5074 Village Commons Drive West Bloomfield, MI 48322 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 251151 West Bloomfield, MI 48325 (Office) 248-325-8395 Web: www.dofoundation.net Email: info@dofoundation.net Web Presence: Face Book: www.facebook.com/dofoundation Twitter: www.twitter.com/dofoundation YouTube: www.youtube.com/thedofoundation Founder/Chairman of the Board - Brian O’Neal (Michigan - National Recording

Artist/Composer/Humanitarian) Co-Founder/Co-Chair/CEO - Kelly Adolph (Michigan – BCO Media, Inc. Artist

Manager/Author) Board Member/Campaign Committee Chair - Nicole Lancaster (New Jersey - Marketing Specialist) Director of Programs & Services - Beth L. Morgan (Michigan - BSW, LSW, MA. H. Ed) Director of Advocate/Liaison Services - Brian J. Harris (Michigan - BA., LSW) Board Member - Shirley Austin (Georgia – Human Resource Management) Board Member - Dana Johnson (Texas) Philanthropic Consultant - Melvin Stringer II (New Orleans – Fundraising consultant) Graphic Artist - Renae McNeil (Georgia - Graphic/Web Designer) Volunteer Coordinator - Tamara Gomez (Florida - Volunteer Coordinator)