BY PRESS RELEASE
Published Thursday, October 16, 2008
Omaha, NE ? On a frigid January night, 890 individuals and 89 families were homeless in our community. Advocates believe the actual number of homeless people on any given night is even higher if we count people doubled up with friend and family. Even so, community leaders believe that is 890 individuals and 89 families too many and are launching a plan, facilitated by the Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless (MACCH) to end
homelessness by the year 2018.
On Thursday, October 23rd at the Thompson Alumni Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, John Schlegel, S.J., President of Creighton University will serve as the projects spokesperson to launch the 10-year plan at a leadership breakfast beginning at 8:00 a.m. Joining him will be Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey and Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan. MACCH is a continuum of more than 100 organizations working together to connect housing, mainstream resources, employment, health care and other supportive services to people in need. In March 2008, the Prevention Task Force of MACCH conducted a study to determine the cost of homelessness in the metro area. It found that a family of four, with another child on the way and who spent 60 days in homelessness cost the community $29,312 for shelter and visits to the Emergency Room. A three-bedroom apartment in Omaha for those same 60 days cost $2,022. While experts agree that having a home doesn't automatically result in fewer trips to emergency rooms, research has shown housing stability helps families and individuals deal more effectively with other crisis that arise resulting in lower associated costs.
As part of the 10-year plan called ?Homes For All?, leaders have seven key goal areas: prevention of homelessness, easier access to services, increased availability of housing, strengthened public and political support, elimination of cultural bias and prejudice, specific options for persons experiencing chronic homelessness and availability of comprehensive data.
Community efforts to address homelessness should link with this community-developed and community-implemented plan, preventing and ending homelessness, one person, one family at a time. RSVP to ebock@mail.unomaha.edu or 402-561-7584.
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