In a previous article, “Books to Help Us Understand Homelessness,” began the process of approaching the problem of homelessness. Part 2 looks at one private non-profit that’s tackling the issue holistically.
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” says the old Chinese proverb. Housing Families Inc. recognizes how true that saying is.
Housing Families, Inc. (HFI) in Malden, Massachusetts uses a holistic approach to the problem of homelessness. They realize that there is no such thing as an average homeless person. Some are homeless for only a few weeks or a couple of months, and then there are those who are chronically homeless and usually have other problems—mental illness or substance abuse or other debilitating damage debilitating sickness. Abuse may be a cause. More and more the working poor are becoming homeless due to the widening gap between wages and rents. Solutions to the homelessness problem thus vary according to the population worked with.
Founded in 1986 HFI is dedicated to ending family homelessness in Malden and the surrounding communities. Last year it served 750 families.
Working only with families—those mostly headed by single mothers—HFI has an emergency shelter consisting of 100 apartments, each with a private bath and kitchen, and each assigned to one family.
These private units allow parents to cook healthy meals for their children and ensure that they are safe. HFI also works with local landlords and owns apartments.
