Here, Relationships Matter!
More Than Just an Apartment, Beacon Builds Stability and a Culture of Care
Supportive Housing is complicated. And Nicole Harvey, Beacon’s Supportive Housing Partnership Manager, is up to the task of explaining this important work to anyone who asks.
“I see myself as a liaison, a trainer, almost an information specialist, when it comes to Beacon and talking about supportive housing. It is all under the umbrella of my role as Supportive Housing Partnership Manager.”
Nicole breaks it down for people. “First of all, I say that residents are renters. But what makes these apartments different from fair market housing is that supportive housing offers services, additional assistance, for residents to keep and maintain that housing.”
Building Buildings, Stability and Community
“When I think of Beacon homes, the key word is community. We work very hard to form a community.”
Beacon partners with onsite service partners such as the YMCA, 180 Degrees, Avivo, Simpson Housing, YouthLink and others to provide supportive services onsite – thus the term supportive housing. “The on-site staff provide guidance, information, community connections, resources and whatever residents may need in order to maintain housing. Staff assist in creating strategies for working towards life goals such as improved physical and mental health, family reunification, focus on educational outcomes, or securing a job and career.”
The Supportive Housing Team at Beacon works closely with service partners to help create stability, consistency and a caring culture for residents so they can stabilize and build community inside and outside the four walls of the property.
If someone is low on food for the month, staff help connect them to a local food shelf. If someone is struggling to find work, they find job resources. If children need before and after school care, staff help residents navigate the school district and other local providers.
“The service partners bring consistency and a sense of stability. In some cases, residents may never have experienced that kind of reliable presence before, even from their own family. The service teams help to keep people grounded, connected and most importantly, help them maintain their housing because for so many Beacon residents, this is the first time they have experienced consistent housing, so they may not know how to do that.”
A Culture of Care When and Where People Need it Most – At Home
Nicole remembers one family in particular that faced multiple barriers to living independently and had experienced homelessness repeatedly. The mother had health challenges and was trying to exit an environment that was not healthy for her and the children. When they moved into their Beacon home, they made an immediate connection with the onsite supportive services team and got qualified for a rent subsidy. The staff also helped the mom disconnect from an abusive family member.
Nicole explains, “Quickly, her children enrolled in activities in the building, she attended a women’s empowerment group, and she really plugged into what the site had to offer. Because there is a support system within the building, they are succeeding. This resident’s journey exemplifies everything we are trying to do in supportive housing.”
Want to learn more about Beacon’s Supportive Housing? Sign up for a tour on the Events Calendar.
