Homeless Transtions

During the 90s, I envisioned a creative initiative to help transition homeless individuals. I worked on a multi-million dollar project and designed a business plan that featured my social welfare programs as a donation vehicle. Although my plan didn't work out, Colgate Palmolive, one of my potential sponsors, expressed keen interest in backing the concept.

Back then, I experienced visions but lacked direction. After three decades, I have shared and posted it on this blog.

Today, I plan to present my transition initiative ideas for the homeless. Individuals often assume that after finding a place to sleep and meeting their basic needs, they will focus on more pressing issues, like medical assistance, substance abuse, and mental health. Not so. A compassionate approach with a changeover phase is crucial.

A few years later, I read about HELP USA, which is dedicated to supporting the homeless. I was jumping in my Sonoma CA living room, with a clear understanding of what needs to happen. After three decades, I'm in my home on Long Island. I am hoping an organization will adopt my vision.

An individual transitioning from homelessness to a permanent residence may experience genuine feelings of isolation and loneliness. A true social existence can be found living on the streets. It forms an unignorable family. Homeless people form groups for safety, and losing this support system is difficult.

Moreover, the individual allocated to a residence feels remorseful about their comrades still being on the streets, leading to tension and discord. - Whether or not homeless, fear and lack of confidence can make adapting to housing a challenge. Doubting oneself can lead to a decrease in self-esteem, causing feelings of unworthiness.

Various factors require consideration. Let's move on to the program I imagined. The first step in creating a thriving TRANSITIONS program is to screen individuals and identify those with a high likelihood of completing it and transitioning to a stable living environment. Graduation depends on finishing an 18-month program.

Unoccupied structures like deserted schools would require conversion to accommodate many inhabitants. They must keep the rooms that are allocated to them clean and tidy and do their own laundry. They would be given a bracelet to hold all the tokens they would earn. An individual's tasks would rotate every week. The duties would consist of preparing meals, designing menus, creating shopping lists, cleaning the dining hall, washing the dishes, gardening, and so on. Residents could use their accumulated tokens to buy items at the commissary. This is an important progression towards money management.

The curriculum would include classes on fundamental self-care, home management, money management, organizing projects, and other trade school programs. Furthermore, courses that concentrate on cognitive behavior can assist individuals in conquering fear and self-doubt. Participating in a self-worth course is key. After 18 months and a fruitful residency, they would place the individual into more permanent housing.

 So there you have it. I could elaborate on a daily routine idea, but seems redundant as similar programs already exist.