“Yes!” Media by Cory Orne.
Broadcast version by Edwin J. Vieira for Yes!’s New York News Connection coverage Collaboration between media and public news services
First my brother died, then my mother died,” said Charles Jones, sitting in a blue metal folding chair at the Breaking Bread Community Shelter in Philadelphia. And I needed someone to take care of me. ”
Jones paused, cleared his throat, and wiped his eyes. “I get emotional about it,” he says quietly, looking down at the black Labrador retriever sleeping at his feet. “Midnight has done so much for me. I really don’t know what I would do without him.”
Breaking Bread Community Shelter serves people experiencing homelessness in Upper Darby, a township outside Philadelphia. We are the only shelter in the area where you can welcome guests with their pets, belongings, and partners of any gender for a 3P.
A few years ago, Jones was in a car accident that left him unable to work. As a result, he lost his apartment and began living on the streets. During this time, Jones left her service dog, Midnight, with a friend. He took the bus every day for months to visit Midnight.
In addition to her role as an emotional support dog, Midnight is also trained to care for Jones in the event of a medical emergency. Jones suffers from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and relies on Midnight to bring him medicine and a phone when he can’t stand due to a heart attack.
When Jones finally secured a spot at a shelter that allows service animals, she found the staff to be confrontational about Midnight’s presence, despite her status as a service animal. Eventually, Jones was kicked out of the facility.
After sleeping in the vault for two nights, Charles and Midnight visited the Breaking Bread Community Shelter for food. They were immediately invited for coffee and food. Shortly thereafter, Charles and Midnight were able to secure a room in the shelter and share it with two other guests.
“The first day we came, the staff called our names, even in the middle of the night,” Jones said, shaking his head again emotionally. “They told me they had my back. I felt like I was in heaven.”
After securing a bed at Breaking Bred, Midnight received vaccines and other treatments from local volunteer veterinarians. “I owe everything to this place,” Jones says. “We’ve added a whole new family here.”
impossible decision
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, “approximately 10% of people experiencing homelessness do so with a service animal, emotional support animal, or companion animal.” . However, very few homeless shelters currently accept pets. This means many people without a home are forced to make the often impossible decision between a safe haven and their pets.
Additional research by the alliance shows that many people choose to stay with their animals, even if it means sleeping on the streets or staying in violent situations. According to the Urban Resources Institute, “50% of domestic violence victims will not leave the abusive home unless they can take their pets with them.”
Biana Tamimi, a veterinarian and director of shelter medicine at the New York City Animal Shelter, believes the decision makes sense. Tamimi explains that for many people, animals are more than pets, they are part of the family. Throughout her years of veterinary care in New York City, Tamimi has seen animals provide vital companionship, comfort, and trauma healing to people facing homelessness and poverty.
“I’ve met many homeless people who say there’s no way they would give up an animal on this planet. It’s their reason to get up in the morning, it’s their reason to go out and find food. ” says Tamimi. “We all know what it feels like to come home after a hard day and pet your cat or have your dog jump on your lap and give you a lick. During the darkest moments of your life, Imagine having a buddy who’s been with you for years, and you never want them to suddenly be taken away.”
The health of pets and their owners are interconnected
In addition to her role at the New York City Animal Shelter, Tamimi is co-leader of The Street Dog Coalition, an organization that believes the health of pets and their owners is inextricably linked. At pop-up street clinics across the country, the coalition provides free veterinary care to the pets of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, as well as social services and medical resources to their owners. Masu. This care model is known as the “One Health” approach. The One Health movement, which many attribute to the influence of 20th century veterinary epidemiologist Calvin Schwabe, has grown in popularity in recent decades.
“One Health is a way of providing care that recognizes the link between human health and animal well-being,” Tamimi explains. “Really, these clinics are like veterinary teams working alongside human health care providers. For example, I examine the animals, but I also probably have a psychiatrist with me, and we have group conversations. ”
Tamimi says that the focus of the reservation is often on the pet first, using the human-animal bond to make the owner feel comfortable.
“People want their animals to get the care they need,” Tamimi says. “One of the biggest benefits[of the One Health clinic]is that we can get people through the door who may lack a trusting relationship with their housing provider or medical care. We use our bonds to promote human care. We do the same.”
At a recent pop-up clinic in New York City, Tamimi recalled a man who brought his cat to the clinic because he was concerned that his cat had developed asthma. Through conversations with the man, Tamimi and the clinic’s volunteer social worker discovered that he was a heavy smoker, which could be causing the cat’s breathing problems.
“It was a great opportunity for the owners to talk about how they could smoke a little less,” says Tamimi. “He didn’t realize that his smoking was causing this problem, and he said he didn’t want that to happen to her. … Our team was able to say: ‘Let’s work on this together, because you are meant to.’ Help your cat and yourself.’
For Tamimi, this demonstrates the effectiveness of the One Health model and the power of the human-animal bond to positively impact people’s lives.
“Pets keep you grounded. Especially during really dark times of loneliness and stress, pets can lift your spirits,” she continues. “Humans are able to get through the most difficult times in their lives because they have animals by their side who rely on them. … This interconnectedness is truly priceless.”
Texas is a safe place for pets and owners
The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center in Dallas also works to bring homeless people in with pets. The nonprofit has 20 kennels in its 750,000-square-foot center, as well as a shaded walking area and a full-service grooming room. Free dog food, leashes and toys are also provided to recovery center users.
David Woody, a social worker and president and CEO of The Bridge, says in his experience that when a client is offered a place in a shelter that doesn’t welcome animals, he refuses to accept services. He says he often refuses.
“Here at The Bridge, we’ve developed a real sensitivity to that kind of experience,” Woody says. “Through our kennel program, we provide a safe place for dogs while also meeting the needs of our guests. We care for the whole person, but the dog is just as important as anything else.”
Chanon Cavazos, The Bridge’s kennel manager, explains that guests often reveal their traumas while talking about their pets. This allows the team at The Bridge to better respond to the individual needs of our clients.
Cavazos said The Bridge’s pet shelter services almost always have a waiting list. In the coming years, she hopes to expand the kennel program and give more Dallas residents access to shelter without having to be separated from their animals.
“There are people who can’t part with their animals and end up on waiting lists for weeks at a time. Many of them are going through a difficult time. The last thing they want to do is leave their animals behind. “It’s about letting go of the animal,” Cavazos says. “We want to put kennels in every homeless shelter so people don’t have to give up their animals to get shelter.”
mobilization of the masses
Feeding Pets of the Homeless is a nonprofit organization operating in all 50 states that provides meals and medical services to the animals of homeless people. Since its founding in 2008, the nonprofit organization has provided more than 2 million pounds of food and medical care to more than 30,000 pets.
“When we first started, our clients told us they were feeding half of the food they could get to their pets,” says founder Geneva Frederick. “And we knew this wasn’t healthy for people or pets.”
Feeding Pets of the Homeless collects pet food and supplies from the public using donation sites across the country. These donation sites are located at beauty salons, medical clinics, pet stores, and other small businesses. Food and supplies collected will be distributed by social service centers such as domestic violence shelters and food banks. Feed the Homeless Pets also provides financial assistance to homeless clients whose pets need urgent medical treatment.
The majority of the organization’s customers are women, Frederick said. She emphasized that often homeless women are at risk of violence and rely on animals for safety.
“Even the smallest dog can alert you to approaching danger,” she says.
She also notes the high suicide rate among people experiencing homelessness. For some people, pets can be a trigger for them to seek help, even when they’re feeling hopeless.
“Many (houseless) people have lost hope… but they reach out to us because they feel responsible for their animals,” Frederick said. . “Programs like ours can give people hope that someone wants to help them or their pet in a time of need.”
Corrie Aune wrote this article for Yes! media.
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Renewal Village, a former Clarion Inn with 215 units of permanent supportive and transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness, has officially opened in Denver’s Globeville neighborhood.
Denver City Councilman Darrell Watson said his family frequently faced housing instability when he was growing up, and his adult sister died while living on the streets. He emphasized that this project, led by the Colorado Homeless Coalition, is an important step toward ensuring more people break out of the cycle of homelessness.
“When you spit out a number, it often feels like it’s just a number,” Watson observed. “But to me, each of those 215 people is the face of my sister, and the face of so many others struggling to survive in this city.”
The cost per unit of housing when renovating an existing building, such as a hotel, is typically less than half the cost of new construction. The Clarion’s old bar and cafe is now a common area with a coffee lounge and dining room. The former ballroom is now a place where case managers connect clients with mental and medical health care, substance use treatment, job placement, and other services needed to get back on their feet.
Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colorado, said homelessness has long been a top issue for voters. He was instrumental in raising $4 million in federal funding to build new homes for families through the project’s strong partnerships, including strong partnerships with the Colorado Housing Authority, Adams County, and the city and county of Denver. said.
“Not only that, but this is important, they have a place to call home and access to the support services they need to enable themselves and their families to achieve more. ” DeGette emphasized.
More than 75,000 people received homeless services last year in Colorado, which was recently named the 8th most economically disadvantaged state in the nation.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said he is committed to creating more opportunities like Renewal Village in the coming years.
“When you’ve traveled a very difficult road, when you’re on the street, when you’re not home, on a friend’s couch, or when you don’t know if you’ll be able to take your keys and get back into your space.” Johnston He outlined. “This again brings new hope, a sense of rebirth.”
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