HomeAid Concludes Successful Homelessness Awareness Month

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Dec. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- HomeAid America, a building industry charity and one of the nation's largest builders of housing for the homeless, spent the entire month of November holding events and undertaking activities to highlight and help to end hunger and homelessness in this country. The annual event was called HomeAid's Homelessness Awareness Month.

"We were very glad to bring special attention to and take substantive steps to address homelessness during HomeAid's Homelessness Awareness Month (HHAM) in November," said Peter Simons, CEO of HomeAid America.  "Homelessness remains a major problem in this country and its causes are numerous and diverse, including job loss, medical crisis, domestic abuse, alcohol or drug addiction, and post-traumatic stress syndrome in veterans."  It is estimated that 80% of the homeless are only situational and can be moved back to self-sufficiency, and HomeAid builds housing and conducts community outreach for charities helping these people in need. 

"Homelessness Awareness Month is a time for us at HomeAid, which has dedicated itself to this cause for 27 years now, to focus people's attention on this problem, have a genuine discussion about solutions, and take concrete action to get this societal problem solved once and for all."

All of HomeAid's 17 chapters participated in the effort during November, with the five calendar weeks in November focused on 1) homeless youth, 2) veterans, 3) homeless families, 4) hunger, and 5) chronic homelessness. A major social media campaign was held on Facebook and on Twitter, and some of the specific events and activities that were held included:

—HA Orange County and HA San Diego each held a month long "30 ways in 30 days" campaigns

—HA Houston held a "Picture This" display of photos taken by homeless kids at Angel Reach

—HA Southern Nevada ran a 2-week food drive to benefit US Vets and Serving Hope LV

—HA Washington DC conducted a month long Care Kit distribution

—HA Sacramento held a month long blanket drive

—HA Atlanta participated in the Health and Housing Innovation Forum held by United Way

—HA Inland Empire served Thanksgiving Dinner at the Corona Norco Rescue Mission, in addition to conducting Care Kits Days with Pardee (TRI Pointe) Homes and CalAtlantic Homes

—HA Puget Sound and HA Twin Cities conducted Care Kits Days with Bank of America volunteers

—HA Northern Virginia conducted its annual toy drive for homeless kids

—HA Colorado spent 4 days assembling and delivering Care Kits to local shelters

—HA Northern California conducted a toy drive with BIA Bay Area PASS

—HA Portland had an event sponsored by ProBuild to collect hygiene items for local shelters

—HA Hawaii participated in Giving Tuesday as part of its weekly calendar of events

—HA Los Angeles, our brand new chapter, held an activity at the Brookfield Residential retreat

—HA Southeastern Michigan conducted a Care Kits Day with Stearns Lending

The SE Michigan event was part of a national campaign that Stearns Lending held with HomeAid and called "HomeAid for the Holidays."  In this effort, Stearns—a national partner and Board member of HomeAid America—held Care Kits Days benefiting six different chapters and created and delivered over 5,000 Care Kits to homeless shelters around the country. 

For a complete listing of the HomeAid HHAW events held, visit: http://www.homeaid.org/hham2016

ABOUT HOMEAID AMERICA

HomeAid is a leading national non-profit provider of housing for homeless families and individuals, founded in Southern California in 1989.  Through the generosity of builders, their trades and their suppliers, HomeAid has completed 450 multi-unit housing projects nationwide at a value of more than $210 million, of which nearly 50 percent—over $100 million—has been donated by the building industry. HomeAid currently has 60 additional projects in development across the country. HomeAid has added over 8,500 beds in facilities helping the homeless through HomeAid's network of 17 active chapters in 12 states across the country. These beds have been used by over 250,000 previously homeless people over HomeAid's history.  For more information about HomeAid, call 1-888-3HOMEAID or visit www.homeaid.org.

Press Contact:

Peter Simons
CEO--HomeAid America
949-777-1660
[email protected]

SOURCE HomeAid America

Related Links

http://www.homeaid.org