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Bridge House Proposal HRCCommunity ImpactFund( cover sheet) Agency/Organization Bridge House Street Address 1120 ½ Pine Street CityZip Code Boulder 80301 TelephoneFaxWebsite 303-442-8300 www.boulderbridgehouse.org ProjectName 2012 Homeless Persons’ Memorial Contact Person Ms./Mr./Dr. (circle one) Ms. Isabel McDevitt E-Mail Address isabel@boulderbridgehouse.org Project Description (please do not exceedspace provided) Each year Bridge House holds a Homeless Person’s memorial. This event is very important to the community because it memorializes the homeless people that have died in Boulder County. This event coincides with the National Coalition for the Homeless national day of remembrance. The date of 12/21 was chosen because it is the longest night of the year. This event brings together homeless people, staff of agencies, community members, and family members. It is a non religious service, which consists of songs, readings and remembrances of the individuals. Approximately 100 people attend, and the event is held at the Band Shell. This event also helps to raise awareness-the premature mortality rate of homeless people is 4 times the rate of housed people. We ask for your funding support of this important event. CIF ProposalBudget Table Budget ItemProjected Expense Postage Advertising900.00 Copying150.00 Office Supplies (Please specify) 1) 2) 3) 4) Total Office Supply Space Rental$10 electricity fee $200 Flowers $100 Microphone rental Food Other Direct Expenses (Please specify) 1) 2) 3) 4) Total Other Direct Costs TotalExpenses1360.00 Revenue SourcesRevenue Amount Amount Requested from HRC1360.00 Other Sourcesof Revenue 1) 2) 3) 4) Total Revenue1360.00 2012 CEF Fund Application 1. Agency Description: Bridge House (formallyCarriage House Community Table) was established in 1996 when a need for day services for the homeless was identified by the local business and faith community (Bridge House is a non-religious organization). Since January 1997, Community Table had also been providing warm meals to people in need in Boulder. In 2008, Carriage House and Community Table merged to form one agency serving the homeless and underserved in Boulder. By merging, Bridge House has offered over 50,000 meals each year, become more efficient and provides more comprehensive services helping its clients leave homelessness behind. In October 2011, Carriage House Community Table changed its name to Bridge House to reflect renewed commitment to its mission of bridging people in need to the next day as well as to the next step in their lives towards good health, employment, and self-sufficiency. Most recently, Bridge House launched Ready to Work –Boulder’s first transitional employment program for homeless individuals grounded in social enterprise. Goals. Bridge House’s goal is to address immediate survival needs of homeless and working poor individuals and provide resources which lead to employment, housing, personal stability, and healing. Based on the diversity of backgrounds, challenges and circumstances of our clients, Bridge House understands there is no single solution to homelessness on an individual or a community level. We believe it is our role to provide an array of resources and opportunities to engage people and give them the tools to reach their highest-level of self-sufficiency. Our bridge of opportunity begins with basic needs and ends with self-sufficiency -spanning from homelessness to housed. Current Programs: In addition to providing a place to go during inclement weather,Bridge House provides various programs to our clients to assist them wherever they are in the continuum of care. Services are offered year-round, weekdays from 9am –3pm. Clients may access warm nutritious meals, showers, toiletries and have access to aphone and computer. Our programs include: Community Table:Community Table encompasses all our food-related programs. When people think about services for the homeless and working poor, they think of food and shelter. While these basic services are a crucial piece of our work, we think of them more as a path than an end when we service our clients. The availability of food brings clients to our doors and provides the opportunity for us to build a relationship with our clients and offer help in other ways.We provide nutritious meals three times a day, five days a week through the year. In addition to providing meals, Community Table has a training program for clients interested in receiving training in food services. Clients are able to plan, prepare, and serve the food at Bridge House. Medical and Mental Health Service: Providing Basic Health and Opportunity for Our Clients: Bridge House’s medical and mental health services provide crucial access to care that will improve clients’ health and their quality of life. The availability of Bridge House’s services also benefits the community by contributing to preventive care and early intervention reducing the use of emergency resources such as ambulances, emergency rooms, and hospitals. In 2012, Bridge House has expanded its range of available resources to address the growing need for medical and mentalhealth services. Homeless Veterans in Our Community:Twenty-five percent of Bridge House’s clients are veterans who have served our country and are struggling to stay on their feet. Many are not getting the benefits they are entitled to under law. Most struggle with medical and mental health programs, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse, which are compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. We provide an open door for veterans looking for a supportive environment, employment services, and access to the benefits they deserve. Ready to Workis Boulder’s first and only paid transitional employment program for homeless individuals. Ready to Work combines paid work in a social enterprise with support services to help homeless individuals reenter the workforce as a pathway to self-sufficiency. Ready to Work breaks the persistent and expensive cycles of homelessness, joblessness and incarceration, by proving homeless individuals the opportunity to work, build a resume, save money, and prepare for mainstream employment. Housing Support:Bridge House’s rental assistance program helps our homeless clients and supports our working poor clients by staying in their home. In 2012, Bridge House has expanded our rental assistance program to assist homeless individuals obtain housing and to keep our working poor clients in housing. Our constituency is poor and homeless adult men and women in the City of Boulder. Bridge House serves over 175 homeless and working poor individuals daily at its various sites. In 2011, we recorded over 38,000 visits of people in need, and we provided close to 5,000 case management appointments to help people work on issues as diverse as obtaining a new ID, getting a prescription filled, receiving rent assistance or referrals to other services (mental health, substance abuse treatment, etc.). Our clients are primarily male (71%) and 28% are female. We serve a diverse population (2% Asian, 13% Native American, 13% African American, 11% Hispanic and 61% Caucasian).Our clients are diverse in other ways as well. LGBTQ individuals are over-represented in the homeless population. In addition, 60% of our clients are disabled. Our clients range from infants to the elderly and their length of homelessness varies from 1 day to many years. 2Need for Funding: .Each year Bridge House holds a Homeless Person’s Memorial. This event is very important to the community because it memorializes the homeless people that have died in Boulder County. This event coincides with the National Coalition for the Homeless national day of remembrance. The date of 12/21 was chosen because it is the longest night of the year. This event brings together homeless people, staff of agencies, community members, and family members. It is a non religious service, which consists of songs, readings and remembrances of the individuals. Approximately 100 people attend, and the event is held at the Band Shell. This event also helps to raise awareness-the premature mortality rate of homeless people is 4 times the rate of housed people. We ask foryour funding support of this important event. 3. Goals : To provide a memorial service from the homeless community to remember those that passed away in 2012 To provide a memorial service for family, community members and human service workers to remember those that passed away in 2012 The Boulder community will benefit by having their awarenessraised about the life and death nature of homelessness. Although the actual attendees of this event average about 100 people, the extensive o news coverage providesawareness opportunity to thousands of local residents 4. A More Engaged Community: This project humanizes homeless people and that is essential to any healthy community. Homeless people are one of the few groups that experience social, job and housing discrimination. It is healthy for our community to recognize that homeless people are individuals and that any community is weakened as it loses its members. We invite anyone who wishes to come and speakif they arebehaviorally in control. 5. Promotion Thisevent will have an ad in the daily camera and itwill be featured on the Bridge House facebook page, website, blogand email blast. Other agencies that serve the homeless will be invited.