Amazon Donates $8M to Housing and Homelessness Nonprofits
Amazon, a multinational technology company that focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming and artificial intelligence, and the world’s largest online retailer, is donating $8 million to select housing and homelessness nonprofit organizations in its headquarter regions. Plymouth Housing will receive $5 million to be allocated to permanent, supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness in Seattle, Washington. In Arlington, Virginia, $3 million will go to the Arlington Community Foundation to increase access to affordable housing for low-income families and veterans. In addition, Amazon will match their employees’ contributions to select charities addressing housing and homelessness until September 2019, in both regions.
CEO of Plymouth Housing, Paul Lambros, and Jennifer Owens, President and CEO of Arlington Community Foundation, shared their thought about Amazon’s contribution to tackling homelessness. “As the city of Seattle continues to look for solutions to homelessness, this generous donation from Amazon will help us meet the immediate needs of thousands of people in the coming years,” said Lambros. Owens said: “Our veterans and working families deserve an appropriate standard of living that is healthy, safe, and makes for a vibrant community. This gift is a great contribution toward that cause”.
Read the article here.
NYU Studies Service Resistance Within Homelessness
Researchers from New York University’s (NYU) Silver School of Social Work conducted a qualitative study in the Manhattan borough of New York City, USA that explored the narrative that people experiencing street homelessness are “service resistant”. Professor Deborah Padgett led the study, assisted by doctorate student Lynden Bond, graduate student Anna Nathanson, and research assistant Christina Wusinich of Human.nyc – a non-profit homelessness advocacy organization.
The team interviewed 43 participants about barriers they faced in obtaining housing and accessing services, their interactions with outreach workers, and their experiences with the New York City shelter system. According to their findings, rather than personal intransigence, bureaucratic barriers lead many people experiencing homelessness to resist assistance.
Read the article here.
Pathways Into Homelessness Among LGBTQ2S Adults
Academic leaders Tim Aubry, John Sylvestre, and John Ecker of the University of Ottawa’s School of Psychology and Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services conducted an exploratory research study to examine entries into homelessness among adults who identify as LGBTQ2S (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit). The authors suggest that pathways into homelessness among LGBTQ2S adults have yet to be investigated in great detail. LGBTQ2S adults in Ottawa, Canada who are experiencing or have experienced homelessness were interviewed. When asked about the role that gender identity and/or sexual orientation played in their entry into homelessness, majority of participants said it did not contribute to their homelessness. According to the data, entries into homelessness result from the interplay of multiple factors – structural, systemic, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Majority of the participants reported refraining from disclosing their sexuality when accessing homelessness services out of fear of discrimination or verbal harassment.
Read the report on the IGH Hub.
Arrels Fundació Measures Homelessness in Barcelona
Arrels Fundació, an agency that services people experiencing street homelessness in Barcelona, Spain, conducted an annual point-in-time count. Figures from the count show that about 1,195 people are living without shelter in the city. About 339 people shared their experiences – how long they’ve been sleeping on the street and what factors led them there. There about 25 percent more people experiencing homelessness since the last count. Nearly 600 volunteers visited about 61 Barcelona neighborhoods to gather information.
One person who shared their experience said: “I have worked for 20 years but now I cannot find work, it costs me a lot. I spend the day looking for scrap metal and with the money I earn I can not save”.
Read the article here. (This article’s original text is in Catalan)