SHALMonthlyReportNovember2016 1

SouthernmostHomelessAssistanceLeague,Inc.P.O.Box2990,KeyWest,FL33045-2990•www.shalkw.org JohnMiller,ExecutiveDirector PatricePelletier-Sanders,Chair502-876-5092•ExDir.SHAL@gmail.com ChristineTrovato,ViceChair TiffanyCurry,SecretaryEliciaPintabona,OutreachDirector RichardCasey,Jr.TreasurerMikeTolbert,ShelterDirector AlanTeitelbaum,PastChair

SHALMonthlyReport

November2016SHALNews

SHALSeekingDonations

ForBusTicketsSHALisaskingforcommunitysupportforitspopularreunificationprogramthisholidayseason.SHALworksdirectlywitheachpersonexperiencinghomelessnessindividuallytoaddresseachperson’sparticularissues.Mosthomelesspersonshavebeenaffectedbyexternalissuesincludinghealth&mentalhealth,employment,domesticviolence,familybreakupandsubstanceabuseandneedahanduptoresumeapermanentlyhoused,self-sufficientlife.ButtheKeyscanbeatoughplacetomakeendsmeetduetothehighcostsofhousing&livingandlowwagesforunskilledworkers.Sometimesaperson’sbestoptionistorelocate“backhome”wherefamily,friends,housingandemploymentcanmoreeasily

adduptoself-sufficiency.Untilveryrecently,SHALhadavoluntary“busticket”programthathadsuccessfullypurchasedover350ticketsforhomelesspersonstogetthemtoalocationonthemainlandwheretheycanagainaffordhousingandlife’sessentials.(ClientsvoluntarilyagreenottoreturntoMonroeCounty.)Thisholidayseason,weareaskingfordonationstoreinstitutethisprogram.Pleasevisitwww.shalkw.orgtomakeanonlinedonationorsendachecktoSHALatPOBox2990,KeyWestFL33045.Includeonyourcheckmemolineortheonlineform“busticket”andwewilluseyourgiftexclusivelyforreunitinghomelesspersons,hopefullybeforetheendoftheyear.PleasecontactExecutiveDirectorJohnMilleratExDir.SHAL@gmail.comifyouneedmoreinformation.

SHALServesThanksgivingDinneratthe

ShelterTheSHALstaffgavethehard

workingvolunteersattheSoupKitchenararedayoffonThanksgivingandpreparedafullspreadofturkey,sidedishesandallthetrimmingstoourhomelessclients.10turkeysweredonatedthroughSt.Mary’s,whileseveralotherscamefromlocalrestaurantsalongwithsidedishes.SHALShelterDirectorMikeTolbertandReliefManagerJinneFigueroaworkedseveralverylongdaystomakeitaveryspecialeveningattheShelter.(seepicturesbelow)

Itisdifficultforapersontoescapehomelessnessiftheyaretired,hungry,sickorhavenoincome

SOUTHERNMOSTHOMELESSASSISTANCELEAGUERELOCATIONPROGRAM

TheKeyscanbeatoughplacetomakeendsmeet.Housingcostsarelegendaryandoftenwages

forunskilledworkers,combinedwithotherlivingexpenses,justdon’taddup.Maintaininga

placetolivewhileworkingintheserviceorotherlocalindustriescanrequiremultiplejobsand

verylonghoursandoftenhousingisthefirstcasualtyofanunbalancedbudget.Otherproblems

likesubstanceabuse,healthissuesandbusiness&legalissuesfrequentlycomeintoplay.

ManytimesSHALCaseManagersfind,asweworkthroughthechallengesofeachhomeless

personthatsometimesthebestoptionistorelocate“backhome”wherefamily,friends,housing,

supportandemploymentcanmoreeasilyadduptoself-sufficiency.

Untilveryrecently,SHALhadavoluntary“busticket”programthathadsuccessfullypurchased

over350ticketsforhomelesspeopletogetthemtoalocationonthemainlandwheretheycan

againaffordhousingandlife’sessentials.(ClientsvoluntarilyagreenottoreturntoMonroe

County.)ForseveralyearsnowSHAListheonlyagencyprovidingthisservicetoourclients,

withmanyreferralsfromotherhomelessservicesprovidersinourcommunity.Becauseofa

fundingcut,wewererecentlyforcedtosuspendthishighlysuccessfulandcosteffectiveprogram.

Weareaskingourcommunitytosupporttheresumptionofourrelocationprogram.Wehopeto

raise$20,000tohelp100to150homelesspeoplefindabettersettingandimprovetheirlives.

Yourdonationisagoodinvestmentintheirwell-beingandinourcommunity.

Pleaseconsidersupportingthisprojectandhelpingtoreunifyahomelesspersonwiththe

supportoftheirfamily,friendsandopportunitiesonthemainland,whileimprovingthequalityof

lifeforallourresidents.PleasesendachecktoSHALatPOBox2990,KeyWestFL33045

orvisitwww.shalkw.orgtomakeyourgiftonline.Besuretoindicateifyouwouldlikeyour

donationtobeanonymous.SHALisa501(c)(3)charitableorganizationandyourcontribution

maybetaxdeductible.

100%ofyourdonationwillgotowardbustickets.

Thankyouinadvanceforyoursupport,&bestwishestoyouandyourfamilythisholidayseason.

JohnMillerSHALExecutiveDirector

SHALMonthlyReportNovember2016 2

SheriffDataShowsDramaticDropinHomeless

CostsRecentdataon

homelessincarcerationprovidedbytheMonroeCountySheriff’sOfficeindicatesthat2016willbeacost-savingyearwithregardtohomelesspersonsinjail.SHALworkscloselywiththeKeyWestPoliceDepartmentandtheSheriff’sOfficetohelpavoidarrestingappropriatehomelesspersonsandinsteadbringingthemtotheSHALShelter.

SockDonationtoSHALfrommanufacturer

OutreachDirectorEliciaPintabonahandledthearrangementsforanationalmanufacturertodonate480pairsofsocksforSHALclients.Becauseoftheordealoflongdaysbeingonyourfeetinourtropicalclimatetakesahugetoll,qualitysocksareessentialandarequicklyspokenforwhentheyaredonated.Weareverygratefulforthislargedonation,whichallowstheclientstoavoidunnecessarysufferingduetotheirexposuretotheelementsduringtheday.

HomelessMyth#6(of7)“They don’t have the daily living skills to have an apartment.”

Even chronic homeless individuals have the living skills and experiences to quickly resume a regular lifestyle in permanent housing. Some skills, habits and coping mechanisms learned during longer periods of homelessness may take a short time to fall away, but the advantages of permanent housing vastly outweigh the difficulty of life on the street.

It is important to remember that nearly all homeless persons were permanently housed in the very recent past.

MonroeCountySheriff'sOfficeData2016 2015 2014 2013

HomelessDaysinJailEstEOY*

28,809 49,253 45,554 51,529

down44%since2013 -42% 8% -12%

cost@$113 3,255,399$ 5,565,589$ 5,147,602$ 5,822,777$savings(over$2.5millionvs.2013)** (2,310,190)$ 417,987$ (675,175)$

Homelessarrests 700 972 1,047 1,123down38%since2013 -28% -7% -7%

*Actualhomelessdaysinjail22,807ytd(down54%),arrests554(down43%)**Doesnotincludesavingsfrommedical,legalandothercosts.

SHALMonthlyReportNovember2016 3

NavyGroupDonatesCarePackages

APettyOfficer’sclubatthebasearrivedattheSHALSheltertheotherdaywithahundredormorecarepackagesfortheclients.Includedwerefood,hygieneandotherbasicnecessitiestohelpourhomelessguysgetthroughthelongdays.

BigMealonThanksgiving

SHALMonthlyReportNovember2016 4

SHALSHELTEROPERATIONSShelterUsage

TheClientTrackdatabaseshowsthattherewereabout108clientssleepingintheShelteronanaveragenightinNovember,andtherewere267different(non-duplicated)individualsstayingattheShelterduringthemonth.AlongwithSHALOutreach,SHALservedatotalof328unduplicatedhomelesspersonsduringthemonthofNovember.SHALwasheseverysheet,towelandblanketusedeveryday,sothewearandtearonourlaundryequipmentisextensive.AtthecurrentShelterwehavetouseresidentialqualitywashersanddryers,andsotheydowearoutfrequently.Thisweekwehavelostadryer,soanyonewhomighthaveausedonetodonate,pleasecontactJohnMilleratexdir.shal@gmail.comor502.876.5092.Nutritionissoimportanttoescapinghomelessness,anditwasabigmonthattheSHALShelterforfoodservice.Inadditiontothebreakfast(avariedmenuthatincludesbiscuits&gravy,sausages,bacon,eggsandEnglishmuffins),thewonderfulvolunteersatSt.Mary’sSoupKitchenpreparingmealsthatwebringoutinbulkandservetoShelterresidents.Volunteersarealwaysneededasfood“schleppers”tobringthewonderfulmealsfromSt.Mary’stotheShelter.Thetripiseasyandtakesnotimeatall,butithelpsimmensely.ContactJohnMilleratexdir.shal@gmail.comor502.876.5092forinformation.MikealsoreportedthattherecontinuetobedonationsoffoodfromlocalrestaurantsandcaterersweaddtotheeveningmealsfromtheSoupKitchen.ThesetypesofdonationsarewonderfulandhelpusserveanevenmoredeliciousofferingtoShelterresidents.SHALworkstomakeimprovementslikefood,aswellasenhancementsinsafety,cleanlinessandotheroperationalchangessothatmorehomelesspersonswillutilizetheshelter,helpingtointegratethemintoSHALprogramsandCaseManagement,andmovethemmorequicklytowardself-sufficiency.Webelievethatapersoncannotovercomehomelessnessiftheyaretiredorhungryorsickorhavenoincome.

TherewerenoEMTcallsmadeforShelterclientsinNovember.Clientswithnon-urgentmedicalneedsaretransportedviaautomobile,savingtheCitythecostofanambulancerun.

SHALMonthlyReportNovember2016 5

SHALOUTREACHServiceSummaryReport•November2016

SHALOutreachprovided759servicesto131differentclientsinNovember.Thisincludedservicesto61Shelteredand70unshelteredhomelesspersonsinKeyWest&Marathon.Becauseofadomesticviolencesituation,oneOutreachfamilywasrelocatedbacktothemainlandinNovember.TheMonroeCountyHSABBoardclaimedthattheSHALbusticketprogramwassomehow“duplicatingservices,”sowehavebeenforcedtosuspendtheSHALreunificationprogramasoftheendofSeptemberuntilwecanreplacethatfunding.SHALcontinuestogetclientrequestsandevencallsfromotheragenciesforrelocationmoney,whichmakesthe“duplication”argumentevenmoreridiculous.Ingeneral,nootheragencyrelocatesshelteredorunshelteredhomelessbacktothemainland.SHALhasarranged,providedandpaidforover350busticketsforhomelesspersonssince2014.

TotalServices:759HealthCareServicesReferred:23MentalHealth:3CoordinatedAssessments:8.

OtherServices

CaseManagement:176InformationServices:185CellPhones:26Food/Clothing:5BirthCertificates:20

FoodStamps:30 MailingAddress:132LongDist.Relocation:2*ID/ResidencyServices:58SSIssues:11

*SHALpaidfortherelocationofamotheranddaughtertothemainlandwhentherewasadomesticviolencesituation.Alocalbusinesswomanpaidforanotherrelocationforaclientwithamedicalcondition.

SHALNovemberSuccessStoriesSHALOutreachsuccessstoriesforNovember:TwomaleclientswereassistedtoenterPattersonHouseandbotharestillthere.SHALpaidthefirstweek’srentforone.SHALworkedalongsidestaffatGuidanceCareCenterinMarathontogetaclienthisIDsothathecouldenteranaddictionresidencyprograminHomestead.SHALOutreachprovidedtransporttoandfromdentalclinicinMarathonforatoothextractionwhenhismedicalcoveragewouldn'tcovertransportationandnodentistwasavailableinKeyWest.ASHALCasemanagerhelpedwiththecoordinationofrelocationforaclient,fundedbyalocalbusinesswoman.TheclienthadextensivemedicalissuesthatheneededtohaveaddressedbackhomeinGeorgia,stayingwithachildhoodfriendwhilehegetshishealthinorder.OutreachDirectorEliciaPintabona,andcasemanagersAmyYancichandChanningLamararereachingnewheightseachmonthtohelphomelesspersonsreachself-sufficiency.