Not everyone who is unsheltered is unemployed. Of our current guests, about half of them reported a source of income when they became a guest at C@P: 8% were employed, and 40% were receiving income from SSI, SSDI, VA Services, or some other non-employment service.
Many of our guests are now fully employed.
The guests at our CCS site are families. A large number of the parents at that site are caring for young children. At our VOH site, where we prioritize unsheltered people who are the most at-risk, a majority are dealing with severe health issues.
Obviously, housing is expensive. Unfortunately, employment does not automatically give people access to housing. Many of our guests are financially able to afford housing, but the availability of affordable housing is limited and competitive.
In terms of gaining employment, there are some common barriers that unsheltered people face, such as:
A safe place to store belongings.
Access to showers and clean laundry.
A place to charge a phone to communicate with employers.
A safe place for pets.
Identification.
A mailing address.
At C@P, we are removing as many of those common barriers to employment as we can. By providing a safe, supported, and secure place for people to live, people can get stabilized and begin to take steps towards long-term employment and housing.
Additionally, we provide supportive case management for all of our guests. Case managers work with guests to help connect them to employment, job trainings, education, and other services.