You may have noticed that in our mission statement and other information that we share, we’re always sure to state that someone is “experiencing homelessness” rather than stating that they are homeless. Why do we do this? In part, it’s because of our commitment to trauma-informed care and services. Being “trauma-informed” means that we try to see people through the lens of trauma they may have experienced in their lives, and that we understand many people’s situations in life are not because of things they’ve done, but because of things that have happened to them. We also believe that homelessness is not an identity, but rather a situation that people find themselves in during a time of their life. It’s always our hope that we can help prevent people from experiencing homelessness through prevention and diversion, but we are committed to meeting basic human needs for those who do experience homelessness.
So now you know! One of the best ways you can support New Visions during Homelessness Awareness Month (November) and all year long is to advocate for your neighbors experiencing homelessness right here in our community. To thank you for your ongoing advocacy and support, we are giving away a few copies of the book “Evicted.” This book has helped frame our outlook as we care for those experiencing homelessness every day. If you’d like to receive a copy of this book, simply share this or ANY of our posts during the month of November, and you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing to receive one. Thank you for being a friend of New Visions, and for all that you do to provide help, hope, and opportunity for those experiencing hunger and homelessness!