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Housing First: A Pathway to Stability

At Open Door Community, we believe that everyone deserves a stable home as the first step towards achieving a better life. Housing First means ending homelessness and housing instability for individuals so that they can shift from survival to thriving. Housing First is a revolutionary approach to addressing homelessness that prioritizes providing permanent housing as the foundational step, with the belief that stable housing enables individuals to effectively address other challenges.

What is Housing First?

Housing First is a strategic and compassionate approach designed to end homelessness. Unlike traditional models that often require individuals to meet certain conditions or engage in treatment before obtaining housing, Housing First provides immediate access to permanent, stable housing without preconditions. The focus is on ensuring that everyone has a home first, which then creates a solid platform for addressing other issues such as employment, health, and social integration.

Key Principles of Housing First

1. Immediate Access to Housing: Individuals are provided with permanent housing as quickly as possible. No strings attached. This approach eliminates barriers such as sobriety or participation in treatment programs as prerequisites for obtaining housing.

2. Consumer Choice and Self-Determination: Individuals have the autonomy to choose their own housing and make decisions about their living environment. This respect for personal choice fosters a sense of ownership and control.

3. Case Management: Once housed, individuals receive supportive services tailored to their needs. These services focus on helping people achieve stability and well-being, including access to healthcare, mental health support, and job training.

4. Community Integration: The goal is to integrate individuals into their communities, promoting social inclusion and reducing isolation. Support services are provided in a way that encourages participation in community life.

5. No Pre-Conditions: There are no pre-conditions for receiving housing, such as sobriety, participation in treatment, or employment. The primary objective is to provide a stable home, allowing individuals to address other aspects of their lives at their own pace.

How Housing First Works

1. Rapid Rehousing: Individuals experiencing homelessness are quickly provided with permanent housing. This can be through various means such as rental assistance, supportive housing, or housing vouchers.

2. Support Services: Once housed, individuals are offered a range of support services to help them maintain their housing and improve their quality of life. This may include case management, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, job placement assistance, and more.

3. Ongoing Support: Support is offered as needed, with a focus on long-term stability. The goal is to ensure that individuals can sustain their housing and improve their overall well-being.

4. Community Engagement: Residents are encouraged to engage with their communities, helping to build social networks and access community resources.

The Impact of Housing First

Housing First has proven to be a highly effective approach in addressing homelessness. Studies have shown that it significantly reduces the number of people experiencing homelessness, decreases the use of emergency services, and improves overall quality of life. By prioritizing housing, individuals are better positioned to address other issues and work towards a more stable and fulfilling life.

Get Involved

Supporting Housing First can make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness. Here’s how you can get involved:

• Donate: Contribute to Open Door Community’s Housing First initiatives.
• Volunteer: Offer your time and skills to support our local Housing First programs.
• Advocate: Raise awareness about the importance of Housing First and advocate for policies that support this approach.

For more information on how you can support Housing First or if you need assistance, please contact us at 276-228-6280.

Together, we can help ensure that everyone has a place to call home and a path to a better future.

Thank you for reading about our Housing First approach.

Your support and involvement can help transform lives and build a more economically stable community.

13th Annual Stuffed Strut, Coming November 28, 2024

Presented by Ballad Health Smyth County Community Hospital

Runners, walkers, and kids join and raise funds in the fight against hunger. Kids under 10 may run or walk the 1-mile fun run.

When: Thursday, November 24, 2024 in person or anytime November 1 - 30

Where: Wytheville, VA

What: Chip-timed 5k race, 5k run/walk, 1-mile kids fun run, frozen turkey team relay, or strut your way virtual run

Why: It's a Zero Hunger Thanksgiving 5k to End Hunger

Zero Hunger

There will be a day when we celebrate the end of hunger in our community!

Wythe Harvestfest is coming to Open Door Café on Saturday, September 28, 2024

www.wytheharvestfest.com

We were thrilled to welcome our local Virginia House of Delegates representative, Jed Arnold (center), to Open Door Community to learn about the amazing work of our Healthy Communities Action Teams (HCATs) project! Thanks to a generous grant from the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY), we’re seeing almost $100,000 in funding invested locally over three years!

WITH SUPPORT FROM

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