Ever lost a job? Suffered domestic violence? Had an expensive medical emergency? Survived a natural disaster?
If you did, you may have suffered “situational homelessness”…that is, you may have been forced to live without housing for a while.
Of the estimated 3 million Americans who are homeless, more than 70% are in situational homelessness.
To make matters worse, situational homelessness often leads to job loss. The combination of homelessness and unemployment makes it that much more difficult to get back on your feet.
In the Washington, DC area, that’s where Shelters to Shutters makes matters better. Shelters to Shutters (www.shelterstoshutters.org):
- Provides housing and employment for “ready to work” individuals.
- Works to “flip the script” – to transition “individuals and families out of homelessness to economic self-sufficiency by educating and engaging the real estate industry to provide employment and housing opportunities.”
Launched in Vienna, Virginia, Shelters to Shutters has expanded its operation to a dozen other cities, including Atlanta, Houston, Nashville, and Portland.
Shelters to Shutters screens job candidates and refers them to property management companies looking for full-time help. In return, the hired participants get discounted housing at the buildings where they work.
Some of the jobs its participants hold in the real estate industry are maintenance technicians, groundskeepers, service technicians, and leasing agents. Employee retention rate is close to 90%; about 90% of employees have received promotions or wage increases; and more than 90% have not had to re-enter homeless service programs. For more about Shelters to Shutters, see also https://tinyurl.com/y4edowlp
Work Matters 