New Kits Help Homeless Rocklanders in New Homes: Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

Thanks to New York State Senator David Carlucci, Hudson Valley Community Services (HVCS) is creating a new program for people who are transitioning from homelessness or living in a shelter to permanent housing. The program, to be called HomeStart, will supply newly housed individuals with basic “starter kits” to set up their new homes. Carlucci secured $50,000 of State funding to assist disadvantaged Rockland County residents.

We created this program to alleviate a huge problem faced by those who move into permanent housing. After life on the streets or in shelters, they often lack the basic equipment to independently sustain themselves and their families, and supplies like sheets, towels, kitchenware and cleaning supplies are not available through food banks or traditional housing programs.

The program targets under-served communities and specifically people who commonly use the emergency room and hospital for care. Our expanded care management services for people living with chronic illnesses put us in touch with an ever-growing number of clients who are homeless or in unstable housing situations. We can also customize the kits based on the number of family members and lifestyles. The HomeStart kits will make the recipients more secure and self-sufficient in new housing, and keep them engaged in the programs and services that sustain their health.

When the Senator announced his support for the program, he said: "Newly housed individuals and families often come from a homeless situation or from living with friends or family and have no basic household items. HVCS’ HomeStart initiative will alleviate those costs by providing materials and allowing these individuals or families to direct their resources to obtaining the best healthcare they can.” We are delighted to collaborate with Senator Carlucci to ease the burden on low-income people who are restarting their lives in new housing, and we offer our sincere thanks.

HVCS’ mission is to promote prevention and wellness for all people, to encourage life-affirming decisions maximizing their quality of life, and to coordinate care for those living with complex health conditions.

Sincerely,

Andrea Straus

Executive Director, Hudson Valley Community Service