Sponsor the 8th Annual AHOC Save Our Homes Walk
Save Our Homes: How it works
Joe Cafe, a veteran of the first Iraq war, had been living in a half-way house in Somerville for over a year and working full-time as a security guard in Boston, making $8.50 an hour. The staff of the house noticed his responsibility had asked him to mentor newcomers and take on other responsibilities at the house. It was a good place for him, but he didn’t really need the support of the house and they needed to make room for new people. Plus, from his perspective, he missed having his own apartment and being able to have a dog.
Fortunately, in the winter of 2010 he received a Section 8 housing subsidy that would allow him to pay a third of his gross income in rent. He had been saving up money to move and had enough for first and lasts months’ rent and a moving truck, but didn’t have enough to pay the security deposit. When he came to SCC he was excited about the apartment he had found but was disappointed that he couldn’t afford the deposit and didn’t know what he was going to do. SCC, using the Walk Funds, was able to pay for a portion of the deposit so that Joe could move into his new place. Now 24 months sober and having gotten a better job at the VA Hospital, Joe is happy to have a place of his own and a home for his new dog, Rusty.
Save Our Homes: Help us Reach our Goal
Our goal for the 8th Annual Save Our Homes Walk is to raise $40,000 to be used to help approximately 190 of our fellow residents secure stable housing. These grants are used for security deposits, rent arrearages, utility bills and moving costs associated with stabilizing housing; these grants help to preserve the affordability and diversity of our Somerville community. We are asking that you consider joining us:
Walk!
The Save Our Homes Walk is scheduled for Sunday, May 15, 2011 from 2:00 to 4:00p.m. The Walk begins and ends at Somerville High School, and the route tours our city’s affordable housing and demonstrates our strong support for permanent housing for low- and moderate- income individuals and families.Support!
We are asking that you consider sponsoring Save Our Homes. All of the details are outlined on the sponsor form.Organize!
Our efforts will only be successful if we increase the number of people who participate in Save Our Homes. Introduce Save Our Homes to your business, political organization, social group, or faith-based community. Sam Davidson-Weiss and Jessica Weaver are our Team Organizers and they are happy to help you organize a walk team. Contact Sam at 617-776-5931 x225 sdavidson-Weiss@somervillecdc.org or Jessica at 617-603-2735 jweaver@gbls.org