Alice Tousignant is the Executive Director of Virginia Supportive Housing. She holds a Masters degree in Social Work Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Rhode Island. Alice has over 30 years of experience in the fields of housing, homelessness and social services. She is the past Director of the Virginia Housing Coalition and the Associate Director of the Division of Housing at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. She is a founder and past President of Emergency Shelter, Inc. and past President of the Richmond Community Development Alliance. She is a graduate of Harvard's NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence in Community Development Leadership program, and a recipient of the Fourth Annual Virginia S. Peters Housing Award. Alice currently serves on the Board of Area Congregations Together in Service (ACTS) and is the Board Chair of the Virginia Collation to End Homelessness.
Archive for November 2009
Stories of Hope – Giving Thanks
November 24th, 2009
How do we know if our work is meaningful? There are statistics for achievement, notably that 90% of our clients do not return to homelessness, but what does that mean to the people we serve? There are faces behind the statistics—living, breathing individuals whose lives are changed by having a safe place to call home. It is in their stories that you learn why we do what we do. This is one of our Stories of Hope.
For years I was homeless, 8 to be exact. I have been hospitalized for mental illness as well as serving time for various non-violent crimes. One of my worst memories of being homeless is being cold. Because of frostbite and severe nerve damage to my feet I have a half a foot and can barely walk at times.
Most people don’t recognize what the homeless population goes through. Most people degrade you or think you are nothing when you are homeless or mentally or physically disabled. I felt so alone and helpless until Virginia Supportive Housing’s A Place To Start program came my way. A Place To Start is just that, a place to start, but with help.
At a time when I thought no one cared if I lived or died I met the A Place To Start team. I know I’m not just a number or name to them. They really care, the quality time that I get with my caseworkers has been a big help to me. I guess what I am trying to say is that everyone there considers and recognizes me as a real person. I thank God for them.
Since I have been in the program I have not been hospitalized or incarcerated. I have been able to stay on my medication which is something I’ve never been able to do on a consistent basis. And it feels good to have a nice clean place to live that is mine. My apartment rent is 30% of my monthly income and the rest is subsidized. So instead of paying $500 to $600 dollars for a room, I have my own apartment for less than $120 dollars a month.
So to sum it all up, if I hadn’t started A Place To Start when I did, I would be still be homeless or I’d be dead. It is hard to put it all in words. I can’t begin to explain to you the pain and agony that I have felt in my life. Now I am happy about all my accomplishments I have made and the people who help me get through it. I feel proud now. I know that I am somebody. I am very proud and have much love and respect for VSH and A Place To Start. Thank God I now have a place to start.
Thank you,
Jerome Roberts
A Place To Start Client
To learn more about the A Place To Start program click here.
Working Together to End Homelessness
November 17th, 2009
For this week’s blog, I have asked Allison Bogdanovic, VSH’s Director of Housing Development, to write a few words about regionalism and homelessness.
Thanks, Alice
Virginia Supportive Housing (VSH) has been selected to present a workshop entitled “Regional Solutions to Housing Challenges” at the 2009 Governor’s Housing Conference scheduled for Nov. 18 through 20, in Norfolk.
Just as no individual should have to go it alone in the fight against homelessness, neither should one particular jurisdiction. Homelessness does not end at a city boundary. It hurts the social capital and economic growth opportunities for an entire region.
Regional collaboration is not a new concept. Local jurisdictions often work together to achieve efficiency in the global marketplace. Regions also take advantage of geograph¬ic proximity to unite around common interests, such as transportation or work force development.
All localities benefit from a reduction in homelessness.
- Regional support is cost effective. If each city contributes to the development, one city does not carry the entire financial burden.
- The development improves the region’s quality of life by reducing homelessness, incorporating green building and contributing to revitalization efforts.
VSH believes that regional collaboration is the key to addressing homelessness at a time of local and state budget limitations.
In late 2006, South Hampton Roads became home to the first regional supportive housing residence of its kind in the nation with the opening of Gosnold Apartments in Norfolk. The localities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Portsmouth provided funding and rental subsidies. Developed and operated by Virginia Supportive Housing, Gosnold houses 60 formerly homeless individuals in studio apartments.
In 2008, Virginia Supportive Housing created Cloverleaf Apartments in Virginia Beach, the second regional permanent supportive housing development for homeless single adults in the region. This successful model is being repeated in Portsmouth with the development of South Bay Apartments, expected to open in the fall of 2010. As with Cloverleaf, the four cities of South Hampton Roads are providing funding and rental subsidies.
VSH is also building an addition to South Richmond Apartments located on Hull Street Road. The addition will provide twenty-one new studio apartments with comprehensive supportive services for formerly homeless single adults from the Richmond area with regional support from the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and Chesterfield County.
With permanent housing and support services, formerly homeless individuals improve their health, incomes and housing stability. Virginia Supportive Housing has a 90 percent success rate in assuring that its tenants and program participants do not return to homelessness.
Portions of this blog were originally published on November 5, 2008 in the Op-Ed section of The Virginian-Pilot.
Veterans Day
November 10th, 2009
I have asked Heather Orrock, Virginia Supportive Housing’s Development Director to be my first guest blogger. Other VSH staff and “friends” will be providing blog posts in the future. Thanks.
Alice
Tomorrow is Veterans Day. A day we honor those who have served in our military; who have risked, and for some given, their lives for our freedom. Working at Virginia Supportive Housing (VSH) I’m continually reminded of what these individuals have sacrificed for our country and for me.
Currently, VSH provides permanent supportive housing to 53 veterans through our programs and properties in both Richmond and South Hampton Roads. Today, the National Alliance to End Homelessness released an update to the veterans report: Vital Mission: Ending Homelessness Among Veterans. One of the reports’ recommendations is creating more permanent supportive housing options for veterans. To read more click here.
