Our roadmap for achieving our mission includes clearly defined goals, strategies and outcomes. We monitor and measure our progress on an on-going basis to ensure we are providing the highest quality programs that provide the greatest benefit for homeless families and individuals throughout Alameda County.
GOAL ONE
Homeless to Housed
By January 2015, Abode Services will re‐house 1,000 homeless families and individuals (10-year goal).
By January 2015, Abode Services will provide 200 units of permanent supportive housing* for homeless families and individuals (10-year goal).
*Supportive housing combines rental assistance and social services and is recognized nationally as an effective solution to ending homelessness.
Strategies
- Develop and construct permanent supporting housing complexes.
- Provide permanent and transitional housing subsidies at scattered sites through 15 housing programs.
- Provide re-housing and support services for homeless households as part of the Alameda County Homeless Prevention Rapid Re-housing Program.
Outcomes To Date
- As a leading provider of supportive housing in Alameda County, we have helped to significantly reduce homelessness in the region. Since 2003, the number of homeless families living in southern and eastern county has decreased by 43%. Since 2007, the number of homeless single adults has decreased by 10%.
- We currently provide permanent and transitional housing at scattered sites along with shelter for 543 homeless households with 655 adults and 420 children.
- To date, we have housed 157 homeless households through the Rapid Re-housing Program.
- Since 2005, Abode Services and Allied Housing, its housing development arm, have constructed or rehabilitated four permanent supportive housing complexes with a total of 109 units for 209 adults and children.
- A new 64-unit permanent supportive housing complex currently under construction is our largest housing development to date and will house up to 140 adults and children when it is completed in May 2011.
GOAL TWO
Remain Housed
85% of those who obtain permanent housing will maintain it for at least a year and 65% will maintain permanent housing for at least three years.
65% of those who obtain transitional housing will be self-sufficient enough to maintain their housing on their own for at least six months after their subsidies have ended.
Strategies
- Provide housing retention services including household budgeting and landlord mediation assistance.
- Provide social services on site at housing complexes as well as for people living in subsidized apartments at scattered sits. Services include case management, primary and mental healthcare, recovery support groups, financial literacy training, benefits acquisition, childcare, and transportation.
Outcomes To Date
- 96% of residents living in our permanent support housing communities have retained their housing for at least a year.
- 75% of households who participated in our transitional housing programs have been able to maintain their housing after their subsidy ended.
GOAL THREE
Increased household Income
Increase employment or benefit income of homeless families and individuals.
Strategies
- Operate CalWORKs program and other workforce development projects that improve economic self-sufficiency including pre-vocational workshops and work experience opportunities.
- Provide job training and employment services referrals.
- Provide benefits acquisition assistance for sources that include, but are not limited to, SSI, TANF, GA, childcare and transportation.
Outcomes To Date
- In 2010, 105 CalWorks participants have been placed into work experiences.
- 100% of families and individuals needing benefit
acquisition assistance and job training and employment
referrals
received these services.
GOAL FOUR
Less Time Homeless
By 2015, significantly reduce the average length of time a family or person spends homeless from months, even years, to weeks and days
Strategies
- Re-program and secure new funding under the Hearth Act to rapidly re-house families and individuals at the time they become homeless.
- Provide model emergency shelter and services with focus on helping people finding stable housing as quickly as possible.
- Increase the inventory of permanent and transitional supportive housing.
Outcomes To Date
- To date, we have housed 157 homeless households through the Rapid Re-housing Program.
- Working with stakeholders to re-program Winter Relief Shelter and HOPE Homeless Outreach Project to provide house opportunities through the provision of housing subsidies and social services.
GOAL FIVE
Homeless Children Thrive
Ensure that we meet the special developmental, social, emotional and educational needs of the children and youth in our shelter and supportive housing programs.
Strategies
Offer comprehensive children's services that include:
- Quarterly screenings for development delay and social emotional concerns for all children ages 0-5.
- Screenings for depression for all new mothers (new this year).
- Connection to mainstream resources including services for further assessment and treatment.
- Home visiting for young mothers enrolled in our program for emancipated foster youth.
- Enrichment and school-readiness activities for younger children and after-school tutoring and computer education for older children.
- Parenting education and support groups.
Outcomes For FY 2009
- One hundred and eighty-five children and 133 parents benefited from the program.
- 80% of children, 0 to 5, were regularly screened for development and social emotional concerns.
- One hundred and forty services referrals were provided.
- Seven hundred and seventy-five enrichment and tutoring activities were provided for pre-school and school-age children.
- 50 parents attended ten-week parenting support groups. 85% of them reported using new parenting strategies to support their child's healthy development.
CAPACITY FOR SUCCESS
As a twenty-one year old agency with a history of innovation, Abode Services has developed an outstanding pool of human, financial and material resources that enables us to accomplish our goals and objectives.
These resources include:
Active and Involved Board of Directors - All thirteen members of our Board are actively engaged in governing the organization. They are leaders in fundraising and advocacy, and serve on one or more of the following Board committees; Fund Development, Administrative, Finance, Marketing and Communications, Nominating, and Audit Committee. The Board includes professionals in many areas of expertise including financial management, marketing and communications, affordable housing development, community relations, fundraising and non‐profit management, and real estate sales. All members make personal financial contributions on an annual basis to support the work of our organization.
Strong Innovative Executive leadership - Louis Chicoine, Executive Director, has been with the agency for nineteen years and has overseen its development from a small grass roots organization to a multi‐faceted agency operating 20 programs and a $9.5 million annual operating budget. An expert in the field of innovative housing solutions for the homeless, Louis serves on East Bay Housing Organization’s Board of Directors and on the Executive Committee of the Alameda County Continuum of Care Council. He was the co‐chair of the EveryOne Home Plan Structure Committee and is an appointee of Supervisor Scott Haggerty to the Measure A Oversight Committee. He holds a Masters of Social Work from California State University, Sacramento and a Masters in Theology from Seattle University. Louis received the California Wellness Foundation Sabbatical Program's Leadership Award in 2006.
Appropriately Structured and Experienced Management Team
- Our eight‐member Management Team consists of highly‐skilled
professionals, each an expert in their field. The team includes
the Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer, Chief
Operations Officer, Director of Housing, Clinical Director,
Supportive Housing Director, Director of Development and
Community Outreach Director. High Staff Retention ‐ We maintain
a work environment that encourages managers and line staff to
use their expertise
and creativity to plan, implement and run dynamic programs that
consistently reach outcome measures. As a result, our overall
staff retention is high with management retention greater than
five years.
Sound Fiscal Policies - Abode Services is a double bottom line agency with decision making based firstly in our mission of ending homelessness and, secondly, on the sound business practices necessary to remain financially responsible. We adhere to generally accepted accounting standards in budget development, monitoring and reporting, and have an outstanding record of compliance with financial and contractual requirements.
Strong Collaborative Partners - We maintain eight formal partnerships with public agencies and community‐based organizations throughout Alameda County that leverage program resources and keep costs manageable. We also have a strong network of relationships with another 30 organizations that provide additional services for our clients.
Strong Financial Partnerships - We maintain and grow a group of diverse funding partners that includes city, county, state and federal agencies, private and community foundations, corporations, individuals, local businesses, churches and service clubs. Each year over 250 people donate food, household goods and other items for an added value of approximately $165,000.
Broad Community Volunteer Support - More than 800 people from over 100 businesses, churches, and community groups volunteer at our organization annually. In addition to many other duties, volunteers prepare and serve 95% of the meals provided at our Sunrise Village shelter.
Appropriate Facilities to Support Programs - Abode Services facilities portfolio includes owned and lease properties that allow the agency to most cost effectively provide community-based services. Each site is in a location that is accessible to program participants. Our facilities include:
- Sunrise Village Shelter - in Fremont
- Wellness Center - Fremont
- Independence Center - Fremont
- Certified Mobile Health Clinic - Fremont
- Rotary BridgeWay East - Fremont
- Main Street Village Apartments - Fremont (under construction)
- Bay Street Employment Services Center - Fremont
- Administrative Offices - Fremont
- Multi‐Service Center - Livermore
- Carmen Avenue Apartments - Livermore
- Lorenzo Creek Apartments - Castro Valley
- Mission Street Apartments - San Leandro
- Housing Resource Center - Oakland
MONITORING AND MEASURING PROGRESS
Abode Services is committed to providing the highest quality programs that provide the greatest benefit for homeless families and individuals throughout Alameda County. To this end, we carefully monitor and evaluate all of our programs on an ongoing basis to determine their effectiveness and to make improvements. We measure our progress both quantitatively and qualitatively with clear procedures for recording and tracking data. Much of the data we collect is recorded and tracked using Alameda County's Homeless Information Management System (HMIS), an integrated county‐wide database that tracks homeless housing and service outcomes in the region. We have employed a full‐time HUD Compliance Coordinator dedicated to HMIS since October 2009. This year, we are investing in Social Solutions' Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) performance management software to fine tune our program evaluation. ETO was designed specifically for human services organizations. With the new software, we will be able to get real‐time data about our service delivery efforts and relate them directly to our intended targets, milestones and outcomes. As a result, we will be able to see more precisely what is working, replicate or refine those efforts, and report successes in minutes rather than days or weeks.
REPORTING ON PROGRESS TO DATE
Abode Services reports its progress to our investors through interim and final grant reports, annual reports, quarterly newsletters and email blasts, and personal phone calls. We have a policy to contact funders immediately if there is a change in our intended outcomes, if the project is taking longer than expected, or if there has been a change in executive or staff leadership.