Tedford Housing

Creating pathways from homelessness to home.

Giving Voice: What does a comprehensive approach to homelessness look like?

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The following article was published in The Times Record on 2/8/19 and written by Jennifer Iacovelli, Tedford Housing’s director of development.

Tedford Housing changed its name from Tedford Shelter back in 2006 in recognition of the organization’s evolution to include permanent supportive housing and related homeless prevention services. While community members still refer to us as Tedford Shelter, we take a much more comprehensive approach to homelessness than just providing beds for overnight guests (the original intent of the organization).

But what does a comprehensive approach to homelessness mean? What does it look like for an organization like Tedford Housing in the community of Brunswick, Maine?

First and foremost it is having strategies for working with the full range of people who experience homelessness. One size does not fit all when it comes to those in need of Tedford Housing’s services, which includes emergency shelter, homeless prevention, emergency heating assistance and permanent housing for previously homeless individuals and families.

Our last Giving Voice article addressed our highest priority population we now serve, the long term stayers. The long term stayers include those who have the highest barriers to finding and maintaining permanent housing and who have been in our emergency shelters the longest. Addressing the high needs of this population not only frees up beds for other people who are experiencing homelessness, but it also reduces emergency room visits, police interventions and other uses of public services.

A big piece of the puzzle in providing pathways from homelessness to home, as our mission states, is case management. Case management is at the core of all the services Tedford Housing provides. All clients are exposed to some level of case management in order to understand the causes of homelessness, to develop a housing stability plan specific to their situation and to access resources for achieving permanent and stable housing for the long term.                             

Case managers, also called housing or stability navigators, are the biggest advocates for all of Tedford Housing’s clients. They work hard to stay up to date on the ever-changing availability of and requirements for housing subsidies. They work closely with landlords and make sure their clients know exactly what resources are available to them and how to access them. They meet regularly with shelter guests to review paperwork and the steps they need to take to find housing. They help families and individuals come up with a plan to address the issues that prevent them from maintaining housing or put them at risk for losing their housing. They connect guests, tenants and clients to key resources in the community to get the services they need.

Though many people may think of Tedford Housing as helping “the homeless,” the truth is that we help individuals and families to reduce their risk of becoming homeless. The majority of Tedford Housing’s clients are only homeless for a short period of time, if they become homeless at all. Once a housing navigator helps someone attain housing, they “follow” the individual or family for up to a year with stability services in order to ensure they have everything they need to maintain housing. People need income to sustain housing. Our navigators connect clients to resources in the community like that of Workforce Solutions that offer up pathways to job training and employment. The ongoing support that case management provides dramatically reduces the risk of returning to homelessness.

Tedford Housing has a limited supply of permanent supportive housing options in Brunswick, Bath, Augusta, Lewiston and Auburn that have provided long term, stable housing to many with histories of significant barriers to stable housing. Many of our tenants have remained housed for years and are now paying market rental rates. We have enough successes under our belt to know the strategies that work and that some strategies don’t work for all clients.

Tedford Housing prides itself on being up to date on the best practices when it comes to addressing the complex issues involved with homelessness. Our key strategy remains a housing first approach – focusing on permanent housing placement in as short a time as possible coupled with case management to access community resources that can ease the transition into a life not complicated by the ongoing emergency of homelessness.

Clarifying Tedford Housing’s proposed emergency housing program

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The following letter to the editor was written by Craig Phillips, executive director of Tedford Housing, and published in The Times Record on January 21, 2019.

I am writing in response to the Jan. 10 article in The Times Record, titled “Residents ‘overwhelmingly’ oppose new homeless shelter in their neighborhood.” After reading it, I would like to clarify Tedford Housing’s plan for a new facility and programming.

Tedford Housing’s current plan, subject to the final Brunswick zoning ordinance amendment process and other considerations, proposes to build one facility to serve both individuals and families.  The facility would replace our current emergency housing facilities, which would be sold or converted into other residential uses and no longer be run by Tedford Housing. The plan is not, and never has been, to construct a third facility. 

The plan proposes a new facility to serve a total of 28 adults and 12 families, modestly serving a portion of the 354 individuals and 228 families we were unable to serve this past fiscal year.  

Though a number of statements have been made recognizing the need to address homelessness in the area during this zoning process, I do not agree with the statement that “…the town is going to have many places in which it is going to be possible for people to develop facilities to address this need.” 

The end result of this process will be to provide Tedford Housing and other potential providers with conditionally permitted zoning districts in town on which to site a facility. Further, current zoning descriptions and density are anticipated to further limit potential zoning districts. 

Finally, Tedford Housing receives a great deal of support from Brunswick and adjoining communities. Though the zoning amendment process is about the ordinance and not a specific provider, Tedford has always sought to be, and is, a good neighbor. The proposed design for case management services linked with emergency housing beds provides this area with a proven model assisting people move from homelessness to home. 

This comprehensive approach will result in the reduced risk of homelessness in the Brunswick area community, a faster return to housing stability for youth, adults and families, healthier households and increased self-sufficiency. 

Upstanders in our mix

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The following article was published in The Times Record on 10/12/18 and written by Joanne Rosenthal, former board member and current Tedford Housing volunteer, social worker & activist

An upstander is a person “who speaks or acts in support of an individual or cause…who recognizes when something is wrong and acts to make it right….being socially responsible.”

Let’s start with the hard stuff. While debates in Brunswick ensue about the need and location for a new and expanded homeless shelter with comprehensive services, real-time crises continue to catapult individuals and families from housing to homelessness. The shelter for single adults on Cumberland St. is always filled to capacity with daily calls from many more seeking shelter. The same holds true for all of 8 of the properties managed by Tedford Housing. People served include adults, teenagers, families and elders experiencing one of life’s most stressful events.

The social safety net in Brunswick is strong but must be responsive to ever changing needs.

The good news is that there are many among us who have been stepping up to assist Tedford Housing for a very long time. They do this by volunteering to provide daily evening meals to the adult shelter guests. The monetary value of these contributions is enormous, but the nourishment and dignity afforded to those who are struggling is priceless.

For the past 8 years I have coordinated the Meal-A-Month program, and it has been my pleasure to witness the many upstanders in our midst.

At the present time there are around 27 individuals, church and neighborhood groups, the college, businesses and restaurants providing a full dinner to the guests of Tedford’s adult shelter almost every evening of the year. And they’ve been at it, in some cases, for decades. These volunteers prepare and deliver delicious home-cooked meals to the shelter by 5:00pm without fanfare. These reliable, self-directed folks have their own reasons for participating in this program – be it their faith in action, commitment to community service, being good neighbors, or just because it’s the right thing to do.

Over this past summer, I had the opportunity to consult with Annie Rose, an intern at Tedford Housing. In her capacity as the Bowdoin College Community Service Fellow, Annie worked on several projects, including the Meal-A-Month program, where she successfully transitioned the monthly calendar to an online scheduling program. Annie’s computer literacy skills enabled me to step away from a particularly labor intensive task, freeing up time to focus on other aspects of the program. Since I enjoy networking the old fashioned way, I am planning to recruit more community partners to join the cadre of meal preparers, and I know you are out there!

If you’ve been wanting to be part of a solution, this volunteer opportunity might be the perfect fit. No particular cooking experience is needed, and we are happy to help you in figuring out quantities and menu planning. Some groups cook together, while others prefer working solo. Volunteers can sign up for a regular day (i.e. the first Monday, etc.) and others work better on a fill-in basis. Perhaps you could organize a group of friends, people from your exercise or yoga class, or co-workers / colleagues to prepare a meal. If you would like to hear first-hand from someone who’s done this for a while, I will be happy to make that connection.

Yes, there is much strife in the world and it can be hard to know how to alleviate human suffering, but as Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Working together, sharing our time and resources, our town’s many upstanders can shine a light to those in need in our own backyard.

If you are interested in preparing, delivering or serving a dinner monthly or on a one-time basis, contact Jennifer Iacovelli, Director of Development at 207-729-1161, #101 or email. 

Shelter Task Force Presents Recommendations to Town Council, Joint Workshop is Planned

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On Monday, October 1st, the Shelter Task Force presented its recommendations regarding zoning for future emergency housing facilities to the Brunswick Town Council during its regular monthly meeting. A joint meeting between the Brunswick Planning Board and Town Council was determined to be the next step in the process. This joint meeting will happen on Thursday, October 25th at 6:30 P.M. on 85 Union Street in the council chambers. Visit the links below for more information.

Going back to school when you are in need

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The following article was published in The Times Record on 9/14/18.

Funny commercials and in-store displays seem to promote back to school sales earlier and earlier each year. While the deals may be great, the families that Tedford Housing serves aren’t always able to participate in the annual rush to fulfill their children’s school supplies lists. The families we serve are struggling to find or maintain their permanent housing. Ticonderoga pencils and fashion trends are the last thing on their mind.

Tedford Housing is fortunate to have Tammy Cutchen and Meghan Painton working in the background to make sure kids can go back to school equipped with everything they need to feel “like every other kid.” Under the umbrella of Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine (AFFM), Tammy and Meghan provide backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies, personal care items like toiletries and towels and a new outfit through the Ready Set Go to Learn (RSG2L) program.

Tammy and Meghan started their altruistic endeavor, The Clothing Garage, in 2009. They met at the Head Start program in Brunswick. Meghan ran the program and Tammy had foster kids who attended. Meghan had a “free box” at the center and families could use the contents of the box – mostly clothes – so they could save their money for basic needs like food and rent.

Tammy loved the recycling aspect of the box. Donating was an easy way to help others, and people are often more likely to donate items when they know it is being put to good use and at no cost to the recipient. Kids who came into Tammy’s care often didn’t have many possessions and so she knew the need was real.

Meghan and Tammy decided to start something even bigger. The donations soon outgrew the “free box” and would be stored in other people’s homes on a volunteer basis where there was more room. This gave more people opportunity to receive donations, but Tammy and Meghan quickly saw that transportation to pick up the donations was a challenge for many families. They would often deliver items.

In this process, they also noticed that many parents needed resources for school supplies but very few programs existed. Without a budget and “not knowing what they were doing,” Meghan and Tammy were able to provide backpacks and supplies for 100 kids in their first year of the RSG2L program. A woman who had gone through the foster system herself offered her basement for storage. Meghan describes totes being stacked from floor to ceiling in that first year. They slowly figured things out, putting up shelves to make storing easier and using donations of money to shop for supplies in the off season in order to get better deals on items.

The RSG2L program grew and this year filled over 200 backpacks for kids in Brunswick and surrounding towns. Meghan and Tammy are quick to note that this would not have been accomplished without all the volunteers they had this summer, coordinated by Linda Ashe-Ford, and the donation of space from St. Paul’s Church.

As if that wasn’t enough, Meghan and Tammy also started the Hope for Holiday program to help provide winter jackets and boots to families in need. While there are many programs for gifts, they noticed the need for winter gear not being fulfilled.

Everything was, and still is, done by volunteers, including Meghan and Tammy, and with a very small budget. It is truly a grassroots organization. Meghan, a single mom who works two jobs, spends her own vacation time filling backpacks so RSG2L recipients can be set for when school starts. She says she’s working on balancing the work involved with the program and hopes The Clothing Garage can soon become its own nonprofit entity outside of AFFM.

Interestingly enough, the items that get the most response from kids who receive backpacks from the RSG2L program are the personal care items. In addition to their school supplies, students also receive their own towel, toothbrush, shampoo and other personal care items. As Meghan noted, we don’t realize that not all kids have these items at their disposal.

This school year, the RSG2L program provided backpacks to 22 families that Tedford Housing serves, including 44 kids. They left us with a few extra backpacks and supplies in case we needed them, which we did. It is a program that we have come to rely on every August as summer starts to come to an end.

Every kid deserves to have a fresh start to the school year. We are thankful for people like Meghan and Tammy who help make that happen for our families.

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PO Box 958, Brunswick ME 04011