Brrrrrr Blog Neli

Brrrrrr! No matter how many layers I wear, I find that it is still hard to escape the cold chill of a Chicago winter on these snowy days, while I do my best to avoid catching the flu. Well folks, I really tried staying warm and loading up on vitamin C, yet it got me this year; but no worries, after a few days of rest and relaxation, thankfully, I’m finally on the mend.

We are fortunate that our exposure to the elements is limited to short treks to and from the car or public transportation. Imagine what winter must be like for the homeless or those that go without heat because they can’t make monthly payments. Harsh winter days in Chicago are often somber reminders of those who are struggling and homeless, living on the streets and in their cars, or couch surfing from home to home until their welcome runs out. Imagine what it must be like for a person who gets sick, with no access to a safe warm bed or fireplace to sit by with a good book and a warm tea, and no family to hover and nurse them back to health.

The homeless are often suffering from complicated behavioral health issues and co-occurring social and economic challenges such as opioid heroin abuse and/or alcoholism; consequently, they lose their jobs and income leaving them feeling desperate with nowhere to turn and nowhere to call home. Due to their ‘disease’ they tend to burn all their bridges with family and friends. They often resort to going from homeless shelter to homeless shelter or living under bridges or in one of the many ‘tent cities’ popping up all over America, as we watch helplessly and learn to accept it as the “new norm.” Most end up living on the streets, hitting our emergency rooms for a reprieve and getting arrested over and over. This cycle can last decades and it is rare that they get referred to the type of help that they need.

I recall the saying “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat all day, teach a man to fish and he’ll eat forever”. When people in crisis are referred to A Safe Haven they are most likely expecting a traditional short-term shelter, temporary warmth and food; what men, women, young adults and veterans ultimately find is safety, hope, purpose and fulfillment as their journey with us progresses and breaks the cycles of addiction, poverty, homelessness and unemployment, in many cases long-term which is the ultimate goal. As an anchor and turnkey organization in Chicago we provided access to our unique and holistic approach to 5,073 Chicagoans last year from transitional, supportive, affordable and senior housing to a host of wrap-around services offered in our continuum of care model.

As a 365/24/7 operation we are always ready to meet people where they are and to do our part to help almost anyone in crisis address and solve their unique multi-faceted issues with the right services they need to get back on their feet – long-term. Our “A” team is composed of academic and/or experientially trained professionals with expertise in their area of work. A Safe Haven is also a Certified Illinois Board of Higher Education academic institution.  We are always expanding our own credentials and our position to continue to play a role in helping, one person at a time, break the cycle of poverty for good in a scalable and sustainable manner.

Despite our best efforts to continue to build capacity, our programs continue to be severely underfunded as government funding is cut and scaled back. Sadly, we are forced to turn thousands of people away every month at a time when we should be amplifying our efforts as we see demand rising, especially due to the opioid epidemic.

With the reality of so many living in dire crisis and need, consider that our Federal Government just passed a HISTORIC $6 Billion-dollar budget to address the opioid epidemic combined with their initiatives to add workforce requirements to Medicaid recipients. These are noble objectives, but intentions alone do not lead to real change.  There are powerful entrenched systems maintaining the status-quo and lined up solely to benefit from the new windfall, initiatives that have had a history of either contributing to the problem or at least failing to demonstrate the ability to break vicious cycles and ultimately mainstream people back to society. It would be such a shame, and a loss to those in need, if the available funds and resources end up in the wrong hands and are used to bolster outdated, inefficient and ineffective systems.

Rest assured, despite decades of spending money on these issues, government has proven that it cannot solve these problems alone. A Safe Haven Foundation, on the other hand, provides a model of a behavioral health care delivery system that is actually effective and mends lives that appear to be hopelessly broken. ASHF uses a scalable and sustainable model that supports people through an individually designed and scalable process, ultimately leading them to full health, stable employment and permanent affordable housing. The results can be seen in the substantial success stories of our alumnus and in our impressive metrics.

With the national WAR ON DRUGS effort and supply reduction approaches, we have already spent trillions of dollars on strengthening our criminal justice and drug interdiction while the drug epidemic rages on. The opioid and homeless ‘epidemic’ is costing all of us hundreds of millions of dollars in the way of higher crime rates and police protection, incarceration and employer health insurance costs and Medicaid managed care costs. We cannot legislate nor arrest ourselves out of this problem, nor can we fall for the false sense of security that we can medicate everyone back to health by replacing one drug for another and expect things to change. That is why a comprehensive strategy and execution in reducing the addiction rates and transitioning people back to work will be key. We can literally trace almost all social and economic ills directly back to the consequences of a combination of behavioral health care and chronic unemployment issues.

There is a lot riding on what we do with this new $6 Billion Dollar Funding. We urge everyone to do their part to advocate for ‘best practices’ and to step up wherever possible to raise awareness and support common sense solutions that have proven track records.

As voters, we must hold our leaders accountable for making the right kind of investments that show our taxpayers and those we serve a return on investment and high impact.  If you are not registered to vote in Illinois, register here today! Your voice matters.

Helping our clients enter or re-enter the workforce is a crucial part of A Safe Haven’s Continuum of Care and Economic Development model. Unemployment is a critical social determinant of homelessness and our team works tirelessly to assist homeless residents and remove barriers to ensure they have the tools necessary to engage in job training programs and attain employments so they are able to care for themselves and have the motivation and skills to provide for their families.

We believe in our Alums! Did you know that A Safe Haven employs over 200 employees, including over 15% former alum whom we have trained and credentialed to work in the field over the years? Join us and let’s work together to put more people back to work by helping them overcome their challenges and advance their education,  job training, professional credentials, and employment status.

As pioneers in the field of social business enterprise we take no shortcuts in helping people overcome poverty and homelessness.  After 24 years of firsthand experience, painstakingly designing and applying our innovative model, we are certain that the road to long-term wellness and self-sufficiency requires an individualized, vertically integrated ecosystem and a comprehensive approach. With the gracious help of a huge network of employer partners ready to hire those we serve and helping them complete the journey to independence – success is truly possible.

Today the emerging field of Social Business Enterprises has caught on as a way to combine business principles with social good. A Safe Haven Talent Resources is one of our many Social Business Enterprises, along with ASH Catering, Snow Removal, Landscaping, and Civic Staffing.

As first movers on this concept we have seen measurable accomplishments in the growth and economic sustainability of our business model as well as consistently favorable outcomes in terms of getting people with barriers back to work and truly transforming lives. Today our ever-expanding vocabulary within social business enterprises refers to this framework as the “triple bottom line.”

As front-line providers, we see first-hand the great number of people in need of employment opportunities to turn their lives around and get themselves and their families back on their feet. What is true for us is true for them. Employment equals an increase in net assets, economic and social stability, and vastly improves life for individuals, parents and children, families, communities and society.

Many of our job trainees have endured some unimaginable challenges, yet we find a way to restore their lives and enthusiasm. Their resilience often reminds us what an impact human interaction and support can have upon a life in crisis and how much employment means to anyone as a way to have an identity that rebuilds their pride and purpose.

One benefit employers find is that A Safe Haven alumnus are taught some inestimable lessons like the value of being grateful for the opportunity, understanding the important role they play on your team and the serious nature of helping your business. ASHF provides a robust Job Training, Placement and Retention program offering Job Readiness, Life Skills, Financial Literacy and multiple Vocational Skills training programs. The ‘A’ team of instructors are motivated and passionate about changing lives. Employee turnover is expensive so our job retention specialists help our employers achieve higher than average retention rates with A Safe Haven alumnus.

As employers continue to face significant workforce shortages of qualified and e-verified candidates, we have an amazing opportunity for your business to join our growing list of Employer Partners – hiring men and women directly from A Safe Haven Center for Workforce Development. As employers we must get off the sidelines and contribute to our overall and collective success by doing our part by hiring ‘A’ team-players who have fought to overcome their barriers to employment and are ready, interested, motivated and excited to work for you with integrity and excellence.

Whether your business is looking to hire one person or 100 people we have many success stories like Angel, Lisa and Chawn. These are just a few examples of the type of people we consistently help! Many who arrived at A Safe Haven after years of living on the fringes of society, broken and addicted, as referrals from government agencies, overcame their barriers to employment and moved on to temp or permanent jobs and independent housing. Please call us and let us fill your open job positions today and on an ongoing basis as your business grows. Your success is our success! Please visit our social enterprises website at http://www.asafehaven.org/social-enterprise/ to learn more or hire us today!

Employers let’s partner! There is no better way to warm your hearts, lift your spirits and know that your choices are improving others’ lives than by showing your love for your fellow men and women by believing in them and hiring them to join your team!