KNOX COUNTY HOMELESS COALITION
PO BOX 1696, ROCKLAND, ME 04841 www.homehelphope.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: KNOX COUNTY HOMELESS COALITION (KCHC) WAS FOUNDED IN 2013, AS A RESULT OF A GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY EFFORT TO RE-IMAGINE HOW HOMELESS SERVICES ARE DELIVERED IN MIDCOAST MAINE. OUR INNOVATIVE APPROACH IS FOCUSED ON REMOVING BARRIERS AND FILLING GAPS WITH A TRAUMA-INFORMED, STRENGTHS BASED MODEL THAT ACCOMPANIES ADULTS, YOUTH, AND WHOLE FAMILIES TO GREATER HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AS THRIVING MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES, WE ARE ALSO ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS IN MIDCOAST MAINE, INCLUDING LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION, AND THE CYCLE OF POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS CAUSED BY MULTIGENERATIONAL POVERTY. THERE IS NO SINGLE ANSWER TO HOMELESSNESS-EVERY SITUATION IS UNIQUE AND REQUIRES A PERSONALIZED SOLUTION. WITH THE SKILLED AND DEDICATED ATTENTION OF OUR PROFESSIONAL TEAM, WE SUPPORT OUR CLIENTS NOT ONLY IN FINDING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES BUT ALSO IDENTIFYING GOALS THAT WILL CREATE A SUSTAINABLE PATH TO A MORE HOPEFUL AND INDEPENDENT F

MISSION: THE MISSION OF KNOX COUNTY HOMELESS COALITION IS TO BREAK CYCLES OF POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS IN MIDCOAST MAINE . SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES: KCHC IS THE ONLY DEDICATED HOMELESS SERVICES ORGANIZATION SERVING KNOX, WALDO AND NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTIES. OUR CLIENT-CENTERED MODEL SERVES ADULTS, YOUTH AND FAMILIES WITH COMPASSION AND DIGNITY, WITH THE GOAL OF SUPPORTING PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE, PRODUCTIVE AND HOPEFUL LIVES. WE MEET EMERGENT BASIC NEEDS, OPERATE A FAMILY SHELTER, AND PROVIDE CLIENTS WITH HOLISTIC CASE MANAGEMENT AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES, INCLUDING FOOD, CLOTHING AND SUPPLIES, AND TRANSPORTATION. CAREFULLY BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST WITH EACH CLIENT, WE HELP THEM ACCESS SERVICES TO SUPPORT THEIR GOALS, AND TO FIND HOUSING. OUR WORK CONTINUES THROUGH THE CRITICAL POST-HOUSING PHASE AS CLIENTS MAKE PROGRESS ON GOALS TO IMPROVE HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND FINANCIAL SECURITY, WHICH ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO MAINTAINING INDEPENDENT HOUSING LONG TERM. WHILE SUPPORTING OUR ADULT C

COMPREHENSIVE CLIENT CARE OUR PROFESSIONAL CLIENT CARE TEAM ASSISTS HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AS THEY TRANSITION FROM CRISIS AND UNCERTAINTY TO STABILITY AND HOPE. EVERY PERSON WHO ENTERS OUR PROGRAM IS UNIQUE, AND SO EACH PLAN FOR CARE AND SUPPORT IS TAILORED TO EVALUATE AND ADDRESS THEIR MOST URGENT NEEDS ON AN ECONOMIC, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL. OUR THOROUGH INTAKE PROCESS BEGINS WITH A PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSESSMENT THAT CUTS TO THE HEART OF THE CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS. BUILDING ON A RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST AND COMPASSION, WE HELP OUR CLIENTS SET GOALS AND CONNECT TO THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO MEET THEM. THIS COULD MEAN HELP WITH NAVIGATING PAPERWORK TO QUALIFY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES; CONNECTIONS TO HEALTH SERVICES; SUPPORT WITH ADDICTION RECOVERY; OR LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. OUR DEDICATED CASE MANAGERS USE A COMBINATION OF COMPASSION AND CREATIVITY TO FIND WAYS TO EMPOWER CLIENTS TO MEET THEIR GOALS, INCLUDING FINDING HOUSING, BUT ALSO MAINTAINING STABILITY IN THE LONG TERM. IDENTIFYING STRENGTHS AND BUILDING CONFIDENCE IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE PROCESS OF HELPING CLIENTS MOVE FORWARD, STEP BY STEP, TOWARDS GREATER INDEPENDENCE. WHILE SECURING HOUSING IS A HUGE STEP FORWARD, IT ALSO INTRODUCES NEW CHALLENGES. SUPPORT CONTINUES DURING THIS TENDER TRANSITION TO ENSURE THAT CLIENTS HAVE THE RESILIENCE TO MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THEIR GOALS. POST-HOUSING SUPPORT IS A CRITICAL PHASE, SINCE MANY PEOPLE ARE ONLY EMOTIONALLY READY TO BENEFIT FROM ACCESS TO LIFE-SKILLS EDUCATION, FINANCIAL LITERACY, CAREER TRAINING AND MENTAL HEALTH ONCE THEY ARE STABLY HOUSED. HOME VISITS, TRANSPORTATION AND CHILD SUPERVISION ARE PROVIDED SO CLIENTS CAN TAKE CARE OF BUILDING THEIR SKILLS AND THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. IT IS A SLOW PROCESS THAT CAN'T BE RUSHED, BUT IS CRITICAL TO THE LASTING CHANGE THAT PREVENTS THE CYCLE OF POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS FROM REPEATING.

FAMILY SHELTER THE HOSPITALITY HOUSE IS KCHC'S FAMILY SHELTER. IT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FAMILIES A PLACE TO CALL "HOME" UNTIL THEY CAN SECURE PERMANENT HOUSING. LOCATED IN A RENOVATED ROCKPORT FARMHOUSE, HOSPITALITY HOUSE CAN ACCOMMODATE UP TO 22 INDIVIDUALS AT A TIME, HALF OF WHOM ARE OFTEN CHILDREN. THE AVERAGE STAY IN 2019 WAS 3 MONTHS. WE OFFER A CARING, SAFE ENVIRONMENT, BALANCED WITH STRUCTURED PROGRAMMING THAT KEEPS CLIENTS ACCOUNTABLE WHILE SUPPORTING THE FAMILY IN MOVING TO INDEPENDENT LIVING. A FAMILY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST AND HOUSING NAVIGATOR SUPPORT THE PROCESS OF FINDING HOUSING AND MOVING FORWARD ON GOALS WHILE ENCOURAGING PEER SUPPORT.

YOUTH SERVICES THE LANDING PLACE IS OUR COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR HIGHLY RESILIENT BUT OFTEN MARGINALIZED YOUTH WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR BECOMING HOMELESS. IN COOPERATION WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS, WE ARE WORKING TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF MULTI-GENERATIONAL PATTERNS OF ADVERSITY CAUSED BY POVERTY, LACK OF EDUCATION, ILL HEALTH, AND SOMETIMES EVEN VIOLENCE AND NEGLECT. WE OPERATE A LOW-BARRIER DROP-IN CENTER THAT IS OPEN TO ALL YOUTH IN THE AREA TWO AFTERNOONS A WEEK. ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES KEEP YOUTH ENGAGED AND CONNECTED TO COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THROUGHOUT THE MIDCOAST. A FAMILY-STYLE WARM SUPPER IS SERVED EACH NIGHT FOLLOWED BY TRANSPORTATION HOME FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT. CASE MANAGEMENT IS AVAILABLE TO YOUTH THROUGH THE CENTER AND NOW DIRECTLY ON SITE AT OCEANSIDE HIGH SCHOOL. WE ARE DEVELOPING TWO SHELTER PROGRAMS DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR YOUTH, INCLUDING THE INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM (NEWLY CONSTRUCTED EFFICIENCY UNITS FOR YOUTH AGES 18-24). THE HOST HOMES PROGRAM ALLOWS UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH TO LIVE WITH A LOCAL FAMILY, MAINTAINING POSITIVE CONNECTIONS TO SCHOOL, FRIENDS, AND OTHER NATURAL SUPPORTS WHILE THEY FINISH SCHOOL OR ACHIEVE GOALS TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE PATH TO A HEALTHY INDEPENDENT LIFE.

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