Every other week, we update you on progress made across Philadelphia’s homeless services system, including personal testimonials and success stories, how we’re putting our strategic plan Roadmap to Homes into action, and how Philly continues to be one of the most progressive, successful homeless services system in the country.
Read below and share the good news!
WHYY: City emulates Mural Arts’ “same-day pay” work model after seeing big demand
It’s no secret that people panhandle for one primary reason: They need money.
Recently, WHYY took a look at the successful same-day pay program going on between Mural Arts and the Scattergood, Sheller Family, and Barra foundations and how the City is using it for inspiration to scale it up and provide economic opportunity to Philadelphia’s most vulnerable — and connect them to vital services to get them off the street and into homes.
“The city has carved out $300,000 from the Commerce Department, the Office of Homeless Services, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services to expand the model,” reports Ximena Conde.
“We didn’t want to wait,” explains OHS Director Liz Hersh about the City’s new pilot.
“[The model] makes Philadelphia more equitable and a better place,” adds Managing Director Brian Abernathy, “but it can’t be a better place, it can’t be equitable if it’s turning folks away.”
CBS Philly: Nonprofit helping homeless while cleaning streets
Same-day pay programs help people buy necessities like transit passes, phones, and even, in some cases, places to stay.
CBS Philly looks at one recent collaboration between OHS provider Self, Inc., and nonprofit City Bright Philadelphia. Participants earned cash for helping to clean Philly’s streets.
Same-day pay programs offering can take many forms, including providing wages for creating art, removing graffiti, clearing lots, and more — all providing access to income and, in the case of the City’s new pilot program, an on-ramp to stable employment.
Al Dia: A day volunteering at one of Philadelphia’s largest homeless shelters
We partner and engage with over 60 amazing homeless service providers, including some that rely exclusively on private donations and support like Sunday Breakfast Mission.
Recently, Al Dia profiled the day a local corporation decided to volunteer and lend their support.
“Many homeless [people] feel invisible, and they feel rejected, or even lost in society. So to have a bunch of corporations like FS to be able to come in, shows immediately to the homeless [people] that someone cares.”
The Philadelphia Citizen: Putting art to work
Same-day pay continues to get attention as the Philadelphia Citizen looks at the successful Mural Arts pilot.
“Mural Arts paid 430 homeless Philadelphians $22,000 to paint a mural in Suburban Station and access social services,” writes Patrick Bilow. “Their efforts, and a city pilot, aim to help even more people in need.”
Stay tuned for even more news about same-day wage and how the City is going to work to expand and support these programs.
“People want to feel useful. Why not let them transform this city into something more beautiful?”
Success Stories: OHS partners swing into action during a heat wave
While a lot of the work our partners do relates to longer term programs and case management, the fact is that vulnerable Philadelphians face emergencies every single day. And our amazing providers and friends always rise to the occasion to help.
When a scorching heat wave gripped the region earlier this month, an apartment complex lost power and residents, primarily seniors, had no cool shelter or food.
The City swung into action with the Red Cross, establishing a temporary shelter for displaced residents. But the residents also faced another challenge: What about food?
Community partners, including the Share Food Program and Philabundance, provided nutritious prepared meals for 300 people. Share Food Program also distributed over 100 boxes providing seniors with 30 pounds of non-perishable food items to take home once the power came back on — plus some perishable items to help replace anything lost while fridges had no electricity. The Philadelphia Inquirer even took note.
Thank you to Philabundance Community Kitchen and the Share Food Program for lending a hand to those in need — and always being partners we can count on!
