'Your Way Home' Summit In Montco Aims To End Local Homelessness

BLUE BELL, PA — Officials, nonprofit leaders, and business partners are gathering to tackle the problem of homelessness in Montgomery County.

The Your Way Home annual summit to end homelessness will take place on Friday, June 8 at Montgomery County Community College's Parkhouse Hall.

“While the Your Way Home system is positioned to more effectively respond to the crisis of homelessness, we haven’t yet tackled the monumental effort of preventing more vulnerable families and individuals from losing their housing in the first place,” Emma Hertz, Administrator, Montgomery County Office of Housing and Community Development, said in a statement. “Throughout Montgomery County, too many people are struggling daily for the things others take for granted: safe streets, good jobs, and quality health care, housing, and education. The barriers are beyond the control of any one system or organization.”

The summit is subheaded "Advancing Equity" and will focus on successes of the organization over the past year, issues related to affordable housing, strategies to adapt to eviction, and more.

The keynote speaker will be Jeff Olivet, the CEO of Center for Social Innovation. Olivet has worked as a teacher, writer, and policy leader in the field for two decades, according to organizers.

The event will also award three local individuals for outstanding achievements in their work to end homelessness in Montgomery County:

• Allegra Cressman, Executive Director, Interfaith Hospitality Network of the Main Line
• Margaret Hunsicker, Magisterial District Judge, Montgomery County
• Russell Johnson, President & CEO, HealthSpark Foundation

Your Way Home, which was formed in 2014, touts a 37 percent reduction in homelessness in the county since then. A survey done on Jan. 31 of this year found 291 individuals sleeping outdoors or in one of the county's emergency shelters.

Homelessness has slowly, but steadily, decreased in the state and nation since 2013, as well. The national rate has fallen 6.4 percent, while the state rate has dropped by 5.4 percent.

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