Guests: Jim Blanchard, co-chair, Dane County Housing in Action Leadership Team
Nan Cnare, VP of Community Impact, United Way of Dane County
Homelessness is never an isolated issue. To confront homelessness, most emergency approaches address issues that contribute to homelessness before they find stable housing for families. This is what makes United Way's Housing First program unique and why it works so well. Based on success models in 12 other communities, Housing First helps families achieve stable housing before and while addressing the other challenges homeless families experience.
But that is not all. Jim Blanchard and Nan Cnare describe how once families are assured a stable roof over their heads, then strong case management is provided to set goals and develop customized plans with accountability. Financial counseling, access to job training, school, community, and medical connections are just some of the support services families receive. The results? Housing First is determined to be twice as effective at half the cost with an 80% success rate at keeping families stably housed upon graduation from the program.
For more information, go to www.unitedwaydanecounty.org
Also, call United Way 2-1-1 to find community support services in south central Wisconsin.
