Homeworthy

The mission of Homeworthy is to break cycles of poverty and homelessness in Midcoast Maine.Summary of Activities - Amidst broken social service and housing systems, Homeworthy innovates to disrupt cyclical poverty and homelessness, focusing on individuals and families strengths, helping achieve sustainable independence; giving the next generation foundations of hope for the future.Nearly a decade ago, we reimagined how homeless services could be delivered to individuals, families, and youth.Through training, lived experience, and community feedback we recognize the importance of building trust, followed by strengths-based, trauma-informed care, delivered with dignity, compassion and respect. We focus on client-specific needs over public funding driven requirements. Many clients arrive traumatized, emotionally hobbled by housing and food insecurity, domestic violence, unresolved physical or mental health issues, and inadequate life-coping abilities. Part III - The Organizations MissionThe people we serve are often caught in a generational loop of poverty and homelessness, wedged between stagnant employment opportunities and soaring housing costs. They need practical resourceshousing, education, transportation, childcare, health and wellness, and educationbut also predictable trust-based relationships, to help them move from crisis to stability. The traditional role of case management is to connect clients to services, but traumatic histories often prevent clients from following through without trusted support by their side. By allowing our case managers to do the right thing for each client along with post-housing support (Aftercare) were seeing a 95%+ success rate of housed clients remaining stable 1+ years later. Once stably housed, this is often where the real work begins as clients seek employment, further education; enter therapy; work on parenting; recover from substance abuse or domestic violence etc. Our commitment to Aftercare services helps stabilize families giving young children a solid foundation. Our programming for high-risk youth (many not homeless yet) rounds out our multigenerational approach to community-wide systemic change helping redirect trajectories so todays teens dont end up as tomorrows homeless or impoverished adults. With one of the oldest populations in the country, Maine children have been a precious resource. However, without stable housing, youth are far more likely to experience additional difficulties on into adulthood. This only exacerbates the economic and opportunity disparities that this region is seeing. Our holistic approach fills a community gap where most services only provide a piece of the puzzle. Beyond helping make connections we then support the followthrough so needs actually get met and progress is made.