PATHWAYS TO HOUSING - PA

AS ORIGINATORS OF THE HOUSING FIRST MODEL IN PHILADELPHIA, PATHWAYS TO HOUSING PA HAS ENDED HOMELESSNESS FOR 500+ INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS. PATHWAYS WAS FOUNDED WITH THE MISSION TO TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS DUE TO MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND OTHER DISABILITIES BY SUPPORTING SELF-DIRECTED RECOVERY AND COMMUNITY INTEGRATION. THROUGH THE HOUSING FIRST MODEL, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A SUCCESSFUL PATH OUT OF HOMELESSNESS, BY FIRST ENSURING SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THEN ADDRESSING THEIR UNDERLYING ISSUES AROUND MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE, MEDICAL CARE, INCOME, AND EDUCATION. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)OUR APPROACH DIFFERS FROM OTHER METHODS FOR ENDING HOMELESSNESS BY HOUSING PEOPLE DIRECTLY FROM THE STREETS WITHOUT PRECONDITION. AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, AS A METHOD OF ASSISTING THOSE ON THE STREETS LIVING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, PATHWAYS TO HOUSING PA BEGAN A HOUSING FIRST PROGRAM WITH A POPULATION OF CHRONICALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ALSO DEALING WITH OPIOID ADDICTION. PATHWAYS TO HOUSING PA MAINTAINS AN 85% HOUSING RETENTION RATE WITH INDIVIDUALS NOT CONSIDERED "HOUSING READY" BY OTHER PROGRAMS. AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION SHOWED THAT PATHWAYS TO HOUSING PA'S SERVICES ARE LESS EXPENSIVE PER PERSON THAN COMPARABLE ORGANIZATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, WE PARTNER WITH LANDLORDS THROUGHOUT PHILADELPHIA AND RENT VACANT MARKET-RENT APARTMENTS IN THE CITY, HELPING TO RETAIN OUR CITY'S TAX BASE. OUR SERVICES ARE LIFE-CHANGING FOR THE PEOPLE BEING HOUSED AND BENEFICIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

NO CHILD SHOULD SLEEP ON THE FLOOR. NO FAMILY SHOULD BE WITHOUT A DINNER TABLE. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A PLACE TO STORE CLEAN CLOTHES AND TREASURED BELONGINGS. THESE ARE THE SIMPLE, HUMAN GOALS OF THE PHILADELPHIA FURNITURE BANK - TURNING EMPTY HOUSES INTO WELCOMING HOMES BY PROVIDING NO-COST FURNISHINGS TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN NEED. IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, 49 MEMBER AGENCIES USED THE PHILADELPHIA FURNITURE BANK. WE PROVIDED FURNITURE FOR MORE THAN 3,500 PEOPLE IN 1,395 LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN PHILADELPHIA. OF THOSE, MORE THAN 1,200 ARE CHILDREN, NEARLY 900 ARE WOMEN, AND 262 ARE VETERANS.