Posts Tagged ‘sources’

Record of Success

Monday, September 28th, 2009

At the end of each fiscal year we look back at what Union Station Homeless Services and our clients have accomplished.  It is my pleasure to share this update with you.

This is our 2008-2009 Record of Success.

Passageways intake center, which serves as the sole entry point to Pasadena’s homeless services network, provided 1,594 homeless adults and children with intake, assessment, medical and mental health services, and referrals to shelter, housing and substance recovery programs. This is a 32% increase over last fiscal year.

The Adult Center, our 56-bed shelter for single adults, provided shelter, meals and supportive services for 169 homeless adults, including 113 men and 56 women. 59% of exiting adults moved on to stable housing.

The Family Center, our 50-bed shelter for homeless families, provided shelter, meals and supportive services for 126 people, including 70 children, 44 mothers, and 12 fathers. 94% of exiting families moved on to stable housing.

Euclid Villa, our transitional housing apartments, provided safe residence for 53 people, including 33 children, 17 mothers and 3 fathers. 100% of exciting families moved on to permanent housing.

Sources, our career development program, provided more than 7,500 hours of career counseling and job search assistance for 110 homeless and very low-income adults. Despite the tough economic climate, 53% of program graduates secured employment within 90 days.

To learn more about Union Station Homeless Services, visit www.unionstationhs.org.

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Seeking Bluer Skies

Monday, September 21st, 2009

Kathy, a single mother with three children, moved from Nevada to California seeking bluer skies. When she and her family arrived in what was to be their new home state, she knew they had made the right decision. It was a beautiful place.

Kathy and her family planned to stay with a relative, but shortly after their arrival they were informed that they had to leave. The property manager cited Kathy’s relative for lease violation because there were too many people living in the apartment. They were going to have to find another place to stay. The news was devastating. New to the state, and with no support system in place, Kathy believed she and her children were out of options.

Kathy was referred to Union Station’s Passageways intake center by a local food bank. Our Passageways team assessed Kathy’s situation and determined that she and her family would be a good fit for our Family Center.

While at the Family Center, Kathy participated in our Sources career development program, where she learned the skills she needed to find employment. She also worked with our Housing Resource Specialist to find affordable housing.

Since her stay at Union Station, Kathy has continued to apply the hard work and perseverance she showed here. She has gone back to school and earned a B.A. in Psychology.

Grateful for the opportunities she been given, Kathy often shares the inspiring story of how Union Station Homeless Services helped her become the person she is today. We appreciate her kind words and are very proud of what she has accomplished.

To learn more about our supportive programs that help thousands of people like Kathy every year, visit www.unionstationhs.org.

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I Made it a Habit to Keep Calling Back

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

The story below is one of perseverance as told by a Union Station client.

After I came to Union Station’s Adult Center, I learned about the Sources Career Development Program at Union Station. It had been a long time since I had done a resume, and I knew that my skills needed some work. I was really willing to learn, and I wanted to get all I could out of it. After hearing about Sources from other people, I was eager to give it a try.

The Sources classes were informative. I found it really encouraging to think about goals and setting up a plan with steps to get my dream job. I wanted to be a certified nurse assistant. I had worked with disabled adults before, and it was important for me to have a job where I helped people. I was afraid that my past addiction would close doors, but now it looked like maybe I could get back into that field, eventually.

After I graduated from Sources, I started to look for work. I made it a habit to keep calling back and to go more than once to see a manager. I learned how to send my resume by email, and I applied for about a dozen jobs. I got hired through two temporary staffing agencies, but I wanted to find something with permanent and regular hours. So I kept looking. I explored different fields, but there were some issues from my past which blocked some of my options.

I had heard that the Salvation Army was hiring, so I put an application in. I went to their alumni dinners, chapel dinners and Sunday morning chapel services. I kept a record of my calls, like I had learned in Sources, and finally, a position opened. I was hired as a sales associate in a store in Pasadena. They said that I showed them that I really wanted the job.

I like my new job because I like working with the public. It is busy and I get to be of service to others in the program, showing them that we can all get jobs if we work hard at it. I am happy to recommend the Sources program to others. I now know that I can keep moving forward with my plan to get back into the medical field. Someday I will be a certified nurse assistant.

Learn more about our Sources Career Development Program.

View our NEW promotional video on YouTube!

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Success Story: Robert

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

When Robert came to Union Station’s Sources Career Development Program in September 2008, his dream was to become a substance abuse counselor. After completing our two-week Sources workshop, his plan was to find a “survival” job to support himself while he attended school and worked an unpaid internship to make his goal a reality.

With downturn in the economy and the challenging job market, Robert found his search for a “survival” job more difficult than he had envisioned. Under the advice of the Sources staff, Robert gave up his search for a “survival” job and took an additional unpaid internship so that he could focus on his desired career. He hoped that between the two internships he would be offered a paid position.

Robert’s hard work and dedication paid off, and he was offered a paid part- time position with a local substance abuse treatment program. He plans to continue with his unpaid internship as well, so he can complete the required intern hours for his accreditation as a Drug and Alcohol Counselor.

After he receives his accreditation, Robert’s next step is to seek permanent full-time employment. With his follow-through and great work ethic – and our Sources staff supporting him – he will be a wonderful asset to any company.

Learn more about our Sources Career Development Program.

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Success Story: Emma

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

When Emma and her three children arrived at Union Station’s Passageways Intake Center, she had recently lost her job and her apartment. She was hopeless and depressed because her family was forced to live in their van.

 

Our Passageways staff placed Emma and her family at our Family Center. Emma was speechless upon arriving. She couldn’t believe that she and her children could finally have a safe and secure place to live while they got back on their feet. They were model residents during their time at the Family Center: Emma consistently banked 70% of her income, regularly attended life skills and parenting groups, and worked with our Sources Career Development Program to secure a great job. With a little hard work and support, she was able to move her family into an apartment.

 

Since moving out of the Family Center, Emma has gotten married, purchased a townhouse, and has been attending school. She checked in with us recently to thank us for being so supportive and helping her look towards a brighter future.

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