New Hope Housing - Newsbriefs
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Newsbriefs Rethinking Homelessness since 1977
New Hope Housing, Administration Office 8407-E Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA 22309 703-799-2293
Volume 22 Issue 10
November 7, 2016
VOTING -a right, a privilege, and a responsibility Dear Staff, For those of you long-timers, you have seen this before although it is a bit updated to reflect some of the rhetoric of this divisive and hateful campaign. But this experience and sentiments are as strong today as they were in 1987. Please, please, please – if you have not already voted, go to the polls tomorrow. And if you are a Fairfax voter, be sure to note YES on the human services referendum which will provide much needed money for the renovation/replacement of the Kennedy Shelter. Election Day Reflections: Twenty-nine years ago, in November 1987, I served as an election monitor in Haiti. It was their first presidential election since the dictator, Francois Duvalier, had pronounced himself president for life in 1964. There was much excitement and anticipation about the elections. I was stationed in a rural area some hours from Port au Prince, the capital. I remember looking out my window very, very early that morning to see streams of people who had been walking for hours to get to the polling place. They just kept coming and coming down this dirt road. The picture still remains vivid in my mind today. A couple of hours after the voting began, it was abruptly cancelled due to violence and killings that had broken out across the country. I still remember the disappointment -- and fear among the Haitians. Once again this year we have the opportunity to choose our president – and I hope to do so without fear of violence. And I still believe that regardless of who is elected, there will be a smooth transition of power, as has been the case for more than 225 years. This is not the way it is in the majority of countries in this world. And it certainly has not always been this way for all Americans. The struggle to extend the right to vote to persons other than white men has been hard fought –and won. I am well aware that there have been many attempts in recent months and years to pull back on some of the important progress we have made. But that only makes it more critical to vote. If you are registered voter, go to the polls, stand in those long lines, and while you wait, reflect on how long so many people in this country have waited – and fought for - this opportunity. Voting is a right and a privilege. And a responsibility. Please embrace it and go to the polls Tuesday, November 8th! Pam Michell, Executive Director New Hope Housing
WELCOME BACK!
Case Manager Alexandria Community Shelter BioI am a native of Richmond, VA that graduated from Virginia Union University. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and Philosophy, as well as Special Education. I also have a Masters of Divinity with a concentration in Pastoral Counseling. Prior to receiving my degrees, I served in the United States Navy for 14 years. I am also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc.
Fun & Interesting Facts
I enjoy cooking.
I like to watch football and action movies.
I love relaxing on vacations or listening to mellow music.
Over $70,000 was raised in support of New Hope Housing Programs!!!!
Projects & Highlights brought to you by Volunteer Coordinator
Sami Smyth
Nativity Lutheran Church Members from the church hosted a Halloween themed Bingo lunch and served tacos from Moe’s! The residents and volunteers both had a great time!
Burgundy Farm Country Day School Students from the school collected much needed full size toiletries and heard from Jan about homelessness in our community.
Projects & Highlights brought to you by Volunteer Coordinator
Sami Smyth
Rapid7 – A team of volunteers from Rapid7 got down and dirty at Gartlan House, providing some much needed landscaping support. The team moved river rocks from the back of the property to the front, planted, weeded, pruned, and mowed.
Volunteer Fairfax’s VolunteerFest Individual volunteers from the community went to the unit on Pond Lake and assisted with landscaping and clean up in the front and back yards. Debris was removed and new plants were added to the front yard flower beds to make the house inviting and warm.
Kennedy Shelter Shares Their Team Collaboration Story! Kennedy Spirit Week (October 24th - 28th) was meant for us to boost our morale and to celebrate our accomplishments of housing 53 individuals in the first quarter! In the midst of our Spirit Week, we housed an additional 16 clients, bringing our total to 69! We decided to call our Spirit Week “The Spirit of Giving” due to the holidays approaching. Each day we decided to give an item that our clients could use while entering their new home. The “Battle of the Colors” competition allowed us to relive our high school days; for example getting ready for Homecoming and decorating our offices areas. There were six different colors, each area displaying a great amount of teamwork. Although there were six different colors, they all displayed the message that we wanted to convey, which included uplifting, encouragement, and teamwork. Yellow team displayed you have to believe in yourself. The orange team displayed change. Purple team displayed you can only go up from where you started. The blue team wanted you to find the fighter in you. The red team wanted you to know that perseverance will come with persistence. Green team displayed sometimes you need a clear mind to achieve all of the above.
Thanks to the Kennedy team for participating in such a fun event!
Kennedy Shelter Shares Their Team Collaboration Story!
Monday site color day Tuesday career day Wednesday western day Thursday throwback day Friday sports gear day
Webinar Available On Demand November 15th, 2016 at 12:00pm
Holidaze: How to Enjoy the Holidays and Minimize Holiday Stress Is stress getting in the way of your holiday enjoyment? Explore ways to minimize the tension and increase the fun for all involved. To View Webinar On Demand visit the INOVA EAP Website: 1. www.inova.org/eap 2. Click on “Member Login” 3. Enter Username: newhopehousing 4. Enter Password: Mondloch 5. To access webinar, on homepage click on “Online Seminars” link. You no longer need to register in advance to attend Online Seminars at a set time. Seminars will be prerecorded and uploaded on the third Tuesday of each month. If you have questions, type them into the "Ask a question" box. You will receive an e-mailed answer within five business days. All questions and answers will be posted on the FAQ tab. Please get prior approval from your supervisor if you will view webinar during work hours.
Samika Roy sends Kudos to:
Dana Murray sends Kudos to:
The new RSS employees at Kennedy for doing an amazing job at showing care for the clients and being team players. WAY TO GO!
The first resident/tenant meeting was a huge success. Thirty-five residents attended. So much more than I expected. So many people to thank...here goes:
Sami Smyth sends Kudos to: Simajah for leading the Nativity Church project!
Chavon and Nicole for coming up with the idea and allowing me to take over and run with it.
Martha for always being willing to have volunteer groups come in to do projects!
Oliver for the support and giving me the running room.
Eddie for always working well with the volunteers and coming up with great projects and designs on the fly! Nicole for helping me get ready for the holidays with volunteers!
LaKesha McGuire sends Kudos to: HUGE shout out to Shaun Dean for cranking out much needed reports during tight deadlines. You are the best!
Nicole Dillon sends Kudos to: Stephen for doing a donation pick up at the last minute! I sincerely thank you and appreciate your help.
Simajah, Akira, Ollie, Chavon and Samir for being the New Hope Uber drivers and getting residents there. Simajah, Chimere, Chavon, Melonie, Akira, Samir, Chavon, Alyss, Melissa, Chandra, and Artisha (I hope I didn't miss anyone) for being there. Your attendance is a great show of support and teamwork. Operations (Martha, Roxanne, Eddie, AJ & Stephen) Again, going above and beyond must be your team's private mission statement.
Qui’va Burroughs sends Kudos to:
Shawn Valentine and Shawn Dean for letting me raid your candy supply.
Londrea for putting together the announcement board here at the Kennedy Shelter and it LOOKS AMAZING! She definitely made the first point of contact for visitors and employees EASY on the eyes. Great job!
Ollie for giving me a minor heart attack with her Halloween decorations. They looked great.
Chavon Bell sends Kudos to:
Martha and Roxanne for the teamwork in developing the new maintenance process.
Shanice and Alexcia- Great job ladies for collaborating and encouraging your client to go get a haircut. The dedication that you ladies give to your clients is exceptional. Great way to #EndHomelessness Dana and Nicole- Great job with coordinating the client house meeting! I think it was very successful. Thank you!
Martha Faconer sends Kudos to: Heath for all the odds and ends that you do for Operations. CJ for keeping me updated on Mondloch Place while Roxanne was on vacation.
Sami and Nicole- Thank you for taking your time to go over the Christmas wish list thoroughly with PSH clients.
Akira for going the extra mile and staying on top of the work orders.
Oliver- Thank you boss for making great selections of new clients for the Milestones program.
AJ for collecting all the trash that needed to be removed from various program sites.
Stephen and Eddie for helping with Turning Point.
Simajah Jackson sends Kudos to: All PSH Case Managers and Outreach Counselors (Melonie, Akira, and Lance, Chimere, and Alyss) for your tireless efforts with our sometimes very challenging clients. You are appreciated! Each and every PSH RSS: C.J., Heath, and Kenny, Stacey, Sheila, and Tonya H., West, Monica, and Lisa, Marian, Denae, and Martha, Mr. Turner, Kim, and Christian, Veronica, Tujuanda, and Tomar, George, Louis, and Rachel, Angelica, Nathalia, Patricia, and Gary [and anyone else not listed]. Thank you for demonstrating compassion and patience while working with our clients. Tonya H. and Latasha for the AMAZING work that you are doing with clients of Susan's Place and Just Homes Arlington! Y'all are rocking it! Sami, Nicole, and Jan, thank you for listening to our needs and helping make things happen from supplying move-in kits to beautifying the home or shelter environment. You help put staff in a greater position to support our clients and help clients feel more safe and comfortable in their homes. Thank you for bringing in volunteers and generating donations. #WeEndHomelessness Vince, Shaun, Tek, and Shawn, thank you for everything that you do to ensure that our clients are able to maintain housing by having their rent paid, programs stay afloat, and staff can be paid Tonya G., thank you for your guidance and support. You are sincerely appreciated. Latasha and Tonya G., thank you for demonstrating true teamwork and communication. Operations (Ms. Martha, Roxanne, and Reed, AJ, Donna, and Stephen, Eddie, Alex and any other valuable member that I may have forgotten). Thank you for all that you do to flip units, provide food baskets and meals, and help maintain habitable living spaces for our clients. Ollie, thank you for being the best Program Assistant EVER and your positive energy! Dana, thank you rocking these reports, leasing up our clients, and being an overall great support to the NHH Team! LaKesha, I don't know and don't want to know what we would do without you. Thank you for everything that you do for NHH and for always wearing a genuine smile. AJ, you will be missed! Thank you for being a great co-worker, your open communication, and doing whatever it takes to ensure that our clients are in a good place. Chandra and Shanice, thank you for your support with a couple of recent challenges. Yvonne and Jeff, thank you for your assistance with and sharing of ACS's van.
Latasha Younger sends Kudos to: Heath- Thank you for cutting that tree branch at Mondloch House. Also, for changing your schedule around to make sure there was coverage at Mondloch House. I appreciate all that you do. Denae- I know you have a lot going on now but I appreciate you filling in so that we have coverage at Mondloch House/Mondloch Place. CJ- Thank you for staying on top of maintenance issues at Mondloch Place. Kenneth- Thanks for helping with the Halloween Party at Mondloch House and Mondloch Place on Monday. Sheila- Thank you for assisting us with the Halloween party on Saturday. The PSH residents had a good time. Marian- Thank you for helping us out with Halloween party that took place on Saturday. Tonya H.- Thank you for everything that you do at Susan’s Place. You are a true asset and I really appreciate your hard work and dedication. Stacey- The residents of MH/MP had a good time at your Halloween party that took place on Monday. Thank you for all that you do! Tonya G.- Thank you for all your support and assistance. I know I can always count on you when I need you! Thank you AJ, Stephen, and Eddie for helping me move that client in Arlington. I REALLY APPRECIATE all that you guys do! AJ- You will be truly missed! Thank you for everything that you did at NHH. You still show your dedication to NHH by working until the job is done. I wish you the best! Ms. Martha and Roxanne- Thank you for all that you guys do. I really appreciate the both of you! Monica- I know I can always count on you. Thank you for making sure I have coverage at Max’s, MH/MP, and Susan’s Place. Osborne West- Thank you, Thank you, for all that you do!! Lance- Thank you for helping out when we need you. You never let us down. Simajah- Thank you for all your hard work and commitment. You really put your best foot forward to get the job done. Angelica and Rachel- Thank you for picking up extra shifts at Max’s Place.
PSH Programs
New Hope Housing - Newsbriefs
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OPEN POSITIONS IMMEDIATE NEED SPREAD THE WORD! PSH Full Time Outreach Counselor Provide case management services and house coverage from 8am-4pm Monday-Friday at our group home in the Arlington. The group home is part of New Hope Housing's permanent supportive housing programs, serving 6 single adults with mental illness. Will also provide case management support to 3 scattered site Housing First units in Arlington. Daily activities may include routine case management duties (this is a HUD program, therefore paperwork can be heavy at times), life skills, engaging with residents, and proactively seek opportunities to assist residents to be positive members of society. Assist residents in finding appropriate services and transportation to get to appointments. Will rotate the on-call phone with other team members. BA/MA degree and considerable experience working with adults with serious mental illness; ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; experience with chronically homeless adults; strong counseling and crisis intervention skills; flexibility, creativity, and leadership skills; ability to make decisions independently and work autonomously and as part of a team. Some evening hours are required to meet residents’ needs. Must have a valid driver's license, be able to provide an acceptable DMV record, have reliable transportation, and be able to drive agency vehicles as needed. $43,000/year EOE/ADA that values diversity. Case Manager – Full Time, Kennedy Shelter (MMOP) Provide medical outreach services to unsheltered persons through the Mobile Medical Outreach Program. This position will work with a CSB mental health outreach worker and a Health Department nurse practitioner; the team goes to campsites, hypothermia shelters, day drop in programs, and other locations to reach unsheltered homeless persons. Will provide some direct care as a mobile unit, provides transportation to health care facilities, and offers case management. The case manager will also be responsible for a small case load at the Kennedy Shelter. Qualifications: Bachelors degree in the social services field, have previous experience as a case manager; excellent communication skills; the ability to work well with a diversified group of individuals; be willing to visit non-traditional sites (such as homeless campsites) to deliver services, and be flexible. Must also have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record; as case manager will be responsible for driving the NHH van. Some evenings and weekends may be required, plus two late nights during hypothermia. $42,000/year EOE/ADA that values diversity!
If interested, please send resume to hr@newhopehousing.org
New Hope Housing - Newsbriefs
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OPEN POSITIONS Residential Service Specialist Full Time Position - Alexandria Community Shelter 12 am to 8am Monday thru Friday Duties include: In this position you will serve the residents residing at Alexandria Community Shelter that serves single adults and families 24/7. You must be reliable, on time, and willing to work with a diversified group of residents that may suffer from some form of mental illness, addictions, or both. Daily duties include: interaction to assist residents when they are in the shelter, answers telephone, greet all guests, including donors, staff, and outside agency individuals. You will be the face of New Hope Housing to donors and volunteers on your shift. Will maintain alert, and provide good documentation in log book of activities on your shift. Will assist with medication dispensing along with your team worker. Other duties as assigned. Qualifications include: Successful experience working with residents in similar environments, understanding of the NHH philosophy, dependable, reliable transportation, flexible, good with people, basic computer skills, etc. Salary is $14.13 an hour with benefits. EOE/ADA that values diversity.
On Call Resident Service Specialists- Kennedy Shelter & Alexandria Community Shelter Responsibilities include monitoring the shelter, answering the phones, greeting visitors, and most importantly interacting in a positive manner with our residents. Must be flexible, dependable, and have the ability to work with a diversified group of individuals. A High School diploma or GED is necessary, and previous experience with the homeless/mentally ill a plus. Successful candidates will be called to duty when we are short staffed. Hours are flexible, not scheduled, and you must be willing to cover shifts at a moment’s notice. $14.13 an hour. EOE/ADA that values diversity.
If interested, please send resume to hr@newhopehousing.org New Hope Housing is proud to be an EOE that values diversity!
A.J. is pictured with NHH Admin. Rep & EEC Chair, LaKesha McGuire
The Employee Engagement Committee (EEC) presented Anthony Johnson with a certificate of appreciation for his dedication, support, and countless hours serving as the operations team staff representative. While on the committee, A.J. expanded the NHH staff “Get Fit� challenge to include individual cash pots for female and male participants, which allowed for an increased chance of winning! The EEC will miss his creative suggestions and wishes him the best of luck in his endeavors! His last day at New Hope Housing was Friday, November 4th
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
Go to www.YouTube.com to search for demonstrations of these exercises. Good luck & Get Fit!
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
New Hope Housing - Newsbriefs
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PAYDAY 6
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Board Meeting 13
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PAYDAY 21
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Team Meetings
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Location ACS EUKS
ACS Team EUKS Team
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Dates
Times 2pm 1pm
Every Wed Every Thu
Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday Rotating Locations of each month
PSH Team Community Services Team
Admin
Name
Month
Day
Martha Faconer
November
2
Dana Murray
November
6
Melonie Penkala
November
7
Chandra Beander
November
8
Paul Kola
November
11
Anthony Defreitas
November
22
Louis Cook
November
30
Every 1st Monday of each month
Name Pamela Michell Roxanne Watkins Yvonne Kedoin Sherry Edelkamp Tonya Golden Tonique Melton Donald Deans Lance Flowers Candice Udodi Kenneth Smith Shawn Valentine Christian Boamah Praveen Kola
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Month November November November November November November November November November November November November November
10:00am 10am
Day Years 5 26 16 17 15 12 5 9 10 8 21 4 18 2 13 2 6 1 13 1 16 1 12 1 9 1