New Hope Housing - Newsbriefs
Newsbriefs Rethinking Homelessness since 1977
Page 1 New Hope Housing, Administration Office 8407-E Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA 22309 703-799-2293
Volume 19 Issue 4
February 12, 2015
From Adversity To Triumph, We Shall Overcome!
Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church Thursday, February 26th from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm 2001 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria, VA 22306
Join us for an evening celebration of Black Culture. Program will include musical performances, special resident presentations, and good food!
Thanks to everyone who read the interesting Black History facts and participated in the trivia! And the winner is‌‌ Sheila Keahey !!!!!!
Out of all the responses submitted, this participant also answered the trivia questions correctly: Stacey Osborne All participants who answered the trivia questions correctly were entered into a special drawing to win a special prize.
ANSWERS How old was Martin Luther King when he entered Morehouse College? 15 Years Old Who founded the Black (Negro) Actors Guild? Fredi Washington (stage and film actress) Which known black magazine went on sale in November 1945? Ebony Magazine
The next trivia will be sent out this Friday. Please join in on the fun because, YOU COULD BE A WINNER!
Black History Month February 2015 in Metro DC Black History Month is celebrated throughout Metro DC in theatre, dance, music, visual arts and the spoken word. Check here for arts and culture events commemorating, honoring and focusing on the history and contributions that Black Americans have made to the United States.
Black History Month February 2015 in Metro DC Black History Month is celebrated throughout Metro DC in theatre, dance, music, visual arts and the spoken word. Check here for arts and culture events commemorating, honoring and focusing on the history and contributions that Black Americans have made to the United States.
Black History Month February 2015 in Metro DC Black History Month is celebrated throughout Metro DC in theatre, dance, music, visual arts and the spoken word. Check here for arts and culture events commemorating, honoring and focusing on the history and contributions that Black Americans have made to the United States.
For a listing of more Black History Month Celebration events in the Washington, DC area visit: http://culturecapital.com/feature/132/black-history-month-february-2015
In celebration of Black History & Culture
View & Share Your Thoughts!
3 Ways to Speak English by: Jamila Lyiscott https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=k9fmJ5xQ_mc
‘The Average Black Girl’ by: Ernestine Johnson https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=2tN4Zulagb8
LITERATURE White Privilege: Essential Readings on the Other Side of Racism Studies of racism often focus on its devastating effects on the victims of prejudice. But no discussion of race is complete without exploring the other side--the ways in which some people or groups actually benefit, deliberately or inadvertently, from racial bias. This is the subject of Paula Rothenberg's groundbreaking anthology, White Privilege
You don’t hear overtly racist language very often these days. Here are some words with a subtler implication. Not every black person considers these words coded, nor are they coded in every context. But in some cases, this is how they are perceived.
You don’t hear overtly racist language very often these days. Here are some words with a subtler Implication. Not every black person considers these words coded, nor are they coded in every context. But in some cases, this is how they are perceived.
Fairfax is offering new federal rent vouchers for the first time in two years By Antonio Olivo For the first time in about two years, Fairfax County is offering federal rent vouchers to about a third of the 831 people who have been on a waiting list for subsidized housing, officials announced Tuesday. Rent vouchers had been frozen in Fairfax and other parts of the country after federal sequestration cuts took hold in 2013 and funding for housing programs either decreased or was frozen, officials said. The plan to disburse 280 federal housing-choice vouchers by the end of the next fiscal year comes as some of those sequestration cuts start to ease. County officials couldn’t determine Tuesday how much more money will be arriving from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. But they said it’s been enough to allocate 244 of the 280 new housing-choice vouchers to wait-list families since July. Even so, there is not enough coming in for the county to add families to its wait list, which has been effectively closed since 2007.“Nothing would make me happier than to open the waiting list for new people,” Kurt Creager, director of Fairfax County’s Department of Housing and Community Development, told the Board of Supervisors during a committee hearing. “We know that poverty has increased nationally and locally” in recent years, Creager said. Barbara Sard, who analyzes federal spending on housing programs for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said Fairfax County has fared better than most other jurisdictions in the country with respect to money for subsidized rents in the 2016 fiscal year. The county is among 35 jurisdictions nationwide that are part of the federal Moving to Work Demonstration Project, which placed them in a special funding category after they proved that they are more efficient than their counterparts at working to move their voucher recipients into selfsufficiency, Sard said. “For those agencies, it’s a pretty good year,” she said. Other agencies around the country have been forced to cut their voucher programs while Fairfax has kept its population steady, Sard said. Pamela L. Michell, executive director of New Hope Housing, said the release of new vouchers has generated optimism among affordablehousing advocates in Fairfax. “We are thrilled,” Michell said. “We haven’t had vouchers in so long, and we’re able to move people into the system now.” She added, however, that the problem now is figuring out who gets the subsidies, which are divided into categories serving veterans, chronically homeless people and low-income families. “We’re trying to figure out what makes the most sense,” Michell said. “How do you divvy up an inadequate resource and use it the best way and still be fair? It’s very complicated.”
WELCOME NEW On Call RSS (MP, MH, & EUKS)
Denae Hilliard
I live my life by this motto: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.�
Interesting Fact About Me I love meeting and working with people. I am family oriented. I love to travel out of the country.
WELCOME NEW Case Manager (Next Steps Family Program)
Michael Bell
Bio
I am a native of Richmond, VA. I attended Virginia Union University where I received both my BA and MA degrees. I am also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Interesting Fact About Me I love to travel and visit new and exotic places. I love to cook. I love to relax and listen to music; particularly jazz.
WELCOME NEW Case Manager-BA II (Community Services Team)
Marshalee Lewis Bio I am very passionate about case management, homelessness, and the field of HIV/AIDS. I thoroughly enjoy working with people and look forward to the new and rewarding experiences I will gain as a case manager in this wonderful organization.
Interesting Fact About Me I am a mom! This is my most rewarding experience to date! I am from the beautiful island of Jamaica. I love sports!
WELCOME NEW On Call PT RSS (Max’s Place & Susan’s Place)
Heath Thayer Bio I previously worked for New Hope Housing from 2008-2010 at Mondloch House. I have worked within the social services field since 1996, serving adolescents, and people who are going through substance abuse recovery, and homelessness.
Interesting Fact About Me I enjoy writing and playing music. My main instrument is bass guitar! I’d much rather talk to someone than text. I believe we were all put on this earth to help each other.
This training is MANDATORY for all staff who are not certified or need recertification. Please RSVP your attendance with your direct supervisor.
Friday, February 27th 9:00 am—3:30 pm Location TBD
Please see below for an easy reference of our Emergency and Inclement Weather Policy. If you have questions, please see your supervisor.
Section 4.8 Personnel Policy Manual: Emergency and Inclement Weather Conditions As a residential, emergency housing agency, New Hope Housing is to remain open and operating at full staff under any and all conditions. Extra planning and care should be made by staff to insure they are able to report to work as scheduled when there is inclement weather. Our residents need us more than ever during times of crisis in the community. Should an emergency or extreme weather condition exist that results in the Fairfax County government (not schools) closing, New Hope Housing will operate under “emergency status�. Under emergency status, residential staff is expected to report to work as scheduled and will be compensated at a rate of 1.5 times their normal pay rate for the hours they work during the time frame of the emergency status. Should an emergency or extreme weather occur after normal business hours when it is unlikely that Fairfax County government would make a determination about being open, the Executive Director will inform the executive team whether or not the agency is considered to be in emergency status. Should the Governor of Virginia declare a State of Emergency due to an extreme weather condition or other emergency, all staff is expected to stay where they are. Staff on site will be required to stay on site and staff at home is required to stay at home until the state of emergency is lifted and it is determined safe to be on the roads. Management staff is expected to check in with their teams to determine how they can best be supported during any emergency or crisis situation.
On Tuesday, February 10th, NHH Staff wore their orange polos to show their support of healthy relationships #Orange4Love Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness, and abuse can start early. One in three teens experience dating violence and two thirds of them will never report it.
Where has your New Hope Housing “Orange� Polo been? We are tracking our logo footprint in our community! When you are out and about town serving NHH residents and/or volunteers, please snap a photo of you wearing your NHH polo and send to jsacharko@newhopehousing.org! Our goal is to make New Hope Housing a household name in this area; so show off that ORANGE spirit wherever you go! If you would like a New Hope Housing polo shirt, please send your shirt size to your program site director.
New Hope Housing - Newsbriefs
Nicole Dillon sends kudos to: Clarence and Alyss for their assistance and flexibility with BINGO night. Tava for her help with the tour program.
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Tava White sends kudos to: I want to send KUDOS to my WONDERFUL TEAM! Chimere and Alyss thanks for helping Ashley with her MH moves!! You guys ROCK!
Chavon for always having a positive attitude.
Sheila, Lisa, Marian and Barbara for keeping me informed.
Jessica Higham sends kudos to:
Michael for his eagerness to help and go above and beyond for our residents.
LaKesha, thank you for continuing to be a shining star. Your positivity is inspiring and you are such an amazing person!
Reed, Jeff, Eddie and Ms. Martha for all your hard work with prepping our units.
Martha and Donna, thank you for all of your help with supplying food for my Housing First clients with no income, we really appreciate it!
Rosetta, Stacey and Zach for being reliable & for having continued patience working with day to day challenging situations.
Jeff and Eddie, thank you for all of your hard work this week and always, you two are awesome!
Louis, Roscoe, Ollie, and Clarence; you guys are the BEST !!
Reed, you are such a hard worker, thank you for everything you do!
Tonya, thanks for always being available to just listen.
Latasha, thank you for all of your help and being my coworker. I appreciate you so much more than words can express. Summer and James, you are both awesome people, thank you for all of the tips and advice! ALL of the RSS staff at Susan’s, Max’s Place and Gartlan House, thank you for your work with our clients and the patience to endure difficult situations.
Lee Voltmer sends kudos to: Mike for doing such a wonderful job cleaning out the refrigerator. You have clearly gone above and beyond—and we are thankful.
Oliver Reid sends kudos to: Welcome to Marshalee!! Thanks for jumping in a seeing cases at a moment’s notice! You Rock!!!
Lee and Susan for cutting last minute checks so that we were able to transition our client!! TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK & I am Thankful to have such a wonderful TEAM
Shanice Gomire sends kudos to: Jan and Nicole for getting a baby car seat, and other baby items needed for my client! You guys rock! The whole Next Steps staff for being team players!
Stacey Osborne sends kudos to: Mondloch House staff , for your ongoing support with our clients. #TEAM WORK.
Yvonne Kedoin sends kudos to: The entire staff at ACS for maintaining our “business as usual” environment even though we are missing some key players.
Monica Harrison for being the “go to person” on the weekend shift and kudos to Bahira Parker for helping us Awesome Job to Tania!!!!! You are doing an amazing with case management! job with clients and employers!! Eden, Natalie, Pam L., and Simajah for being such Thanks to Pam and Jo for giving me a new perspecteam players and helping out where needed. tive! : ) You both know what I mean. Dexter Leak and Helen Berhane for being so flexible and picking up shifts.
New Hope Housing - Newsbriefs
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Ollie Dawson sends kudos to: Stanley, huge Kudos for always checking the bed list twice and for making sure the data forms are done correctly. It’s a big help when the form is filled out completely. Steve, thanks for making sure I get the follow up list and for working together as a team. Tonique, thanks for your help with the dates and the information I needed. Clarence, great job at MP and for looking out for the safety of the residents and doing great security checks. Tava, thanks for being flexible and working with my schedule to help with the reports and paper work. Alyss, great job on being the tour guide at MP alone with all your other work and school. Roscoe, thank you so much for always picking up extra shifts at the last minute. You are a ROCK STAR!!!!
New Hope Housing Staff…….
Roses are RED Violets are BLUE We appreciate all the hard work that you do!
OPEN POSITIONS New Hope Housing is currently accepting resumes for the following job opportunities:
On Call Resident Service SpecialistsMondloch House/Mondloch Place/Kennedy/ACS Responsibilities include monitoring the shelter, answering the phones, greeting visitors, and most importantly interacting in a positive manner with our residents. $13.13 an hour. 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. $13.13 an hour. EOE/ADA that values diversity. On-Call Residential Service Specialist for Susan’s Place and Max’s Place On-Call Residential Services Specialist (RSS) for chronically homeless adults with substance abuse/mental illness/or co-occurring disorders located in Arlington and Falls Church Virginia. Must be able to establish rapport and build trust with residents and be comfortable working in a program with few rules. Need to be flexible and have an ability to handle crisis situations. RSS will assist Outreach Counselors with leading life skills groups/activities, cooking and cleaning with residents and general upkeep of the house. RSS monitors residents medication. Must be able to work well independently and must be reliable. Provides On-call coverage. Must have a valid driver’s license and BA in behavioral science or related field. Experience can be substituted for education. BSW preferred. Two years experience with homeless adults, adults with mental illness or substance abusers. Counseling and crisis intervention skills. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Salary is $13.13 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/ADA that values diversity!
FEBRUARY Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
20
21
PAYDAY 15
16
17
18
19
22
23
24
25
26
Team Meetings
Name
27 Staff CPR/First Aid Training Black History Program
Location Sacramento Drive Every Wed ACS Every Wed EUKS Every Thu
Next Steps Team ACS Team EUKS Team
Dates
Times 9:15am 2pm 2pm
Housing 1st and Bridging Affordability Gartlan, Susan's, Max's, Just Homes Team
MP Conf Rm Susan’s Place
4th Tues of each month 3rd Tues of each month
Mondloch House and Mondloch Place
MH Conf Rm
Every 1st Wed of each month
Community Services Team
Name
Month
Admin
28
PAYDAY
2pm 10am 11:30am
Every 1st Monday of each month
10am
Day
Shanice
Gomire
Feb
1
Veronica
Letsinger
Feb
3
Jo
Mullen
Feb
4
Nicole
Dillon
Feb
10
Luis
Franco
Feb
12
Joseph
Gouss
Feb
12
Alex
SaintFleur
Feb
14
Essie
Marble
Feb
17
Tava
White
Feb
24
Kevin
Coleman
Feb
28
Name
Month
Day
Years
Gary Steele
Feb
8
10
Troy Skeen
Feb
4
1
Stephanie Sheehan-Felix
Feb
28
4
Janine Rushing
Feb
9
6
Susan Keenan
Feb
14
15