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.
Five Reasons To Support Virginia Supportive Housing
As someone who has been in the business of ending homelessness for more than 30 years, I give a lot of thought to why the community should support the work of Virginia Supportive Housing and what differentiates us from other agencies trying to do the same thing. Recently I interviewed a prospective board member who asked me this very question: “Why should I commit my time and talents to VSH when there are many other agencies that are helping homeless people?”
Needless to say, I believe there are many great arguments for supporting our mission, but here are my five top reasons:
Reason #1: Because VSH services end homelessness; we don’t just manage the problem, we help to solve it.
90 percent of VSH residents never return to homelessness and 96 percent of VSH residents obtain a stable income through work or entitlement programs. The integrated model that Virginia Supportive Housing successfully applies to the problem of homelessness is the model currently supported by national research, adopted by most ten year plans to end homelessness, and replicated with similar success in cities across the country that are serious about doing whatever it takes to solve this issue once and for all.
Reason #2: Because VSH serves the most underserved population of people experiencing homelessness, which few other agencies want or are able to serve.
The homeless individuals and families we serve represent the very lowest levels of income in our region (generally 30% or less than our area’s median income). In addition to the income barrier, many of our clients struggle with physical disabilities, mental illness, and substance abuse issues. This combination of factors often excludes these individuals from service through other agencies, and yet these are the very individuals who most need help in becoming stably housed.
Reason #3: Because VSH follows through with commitments.
VSH’s amazing growth over the past two decades is a solid testament to its proven track record as a conscientious steward of community assets. At VSH we achieve our mission through a careful approach that combines the latest evidence-based practices with performance-based outcomes. It’s a proven equation that gets tangible results and it’s one that people trust. Because of our reputation, VSH has responded to requests to implement permanent supportive housing models in municipalities throughout the commonwealth.
Reason #4: Because VSH constantly strives to work harder and smarter in the development of housing and the delivery of services.
One of the characteristics of dynamic organizations is the constant willingness to learn and improve, and VSH certainly demonstrates this commitment to excellence. Although our high success rate makes it easy to fall into a state of complacency, VSH staff are constantly examining performance outcomes and seeking new strategies for improved success. (See “There is always room for improvement”)
Reason #5: Because VSH has taken on a difficult role in ending homelessness and can’t complete the job without your help and the help of all of our partners.
Homelessness is an issue that affects everyone in the community, and at VSH we welcome the participation of the community in achieving a solution that works. The number one goal of our region’s ten year plan to end homelessness is to focus on housing stability. Just imagine what VSH could accomplish if all available resources were truly dedicated to the development and management of permanent supportive housing.
So, why do you think the community should support VSH?
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