As inflation continues to rise, and the price of food, transportation and childcare increases, more and more local families are having trouble making ends meet, and are experiencing a housing crisis as result. In fact, in Fiscal Year 2022 alone, Wellspring answered nearly 850 calls on its Homelessness Prevention Line from individuals and families who were facing housing crises or having trouble paying their rent.
Through Wellspring’s HPFS Program, individuals and parents learn effective life-planning skills in problem-solving, decision making and financial literacy. These skills teach people how to better live within their means, maintain their current housing, and how to save money for a future security deposit and rent. Additional support services include intensive case monitoring, access to community resources and ongoing collaboration with Wellspring’s Education, Job-Training and Career Pathways teams to identify new career opportunities that will produce a true, livable wage in the state of Massachusetts. The Wellspring Homelessness Prevention Fund (HPF) is designed to help families stay on track and avoid homelessness all-together through one-time cash grants. This assistance is offered to some individuals, families and Wellspring participants to help offset costs that might have a direct impact on a family’s means to remain in their homes, and have been used to pay for unforeseen expenses like car repairs, transportation costs, utility bills or in some cases, small rent arrearages. Individuals who experienced major housing emergencies or were guests at Wellspring’s Family Shelter receive comprehensive case management services and support from Wellspring’s HPFS team for up to two years. Of the 75 local families who needed more intensive support in fiscal year 2022 and who were enrolled in Wellspring’s HPFS Program for a year or longer, 100% remain stably housed for 12+ months.“Thanks to the generosity of some of Wellspring’s longest financial supporters, including the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, the Institution for Savings, Sailors’ Snug Harbor, The City of Gloucester Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the Ludcke Foundation, more than $100,000 of cumulative giving was awarded to support Wellspring’s Homelessness Prevention and Family Stabilization program in 2023,” said Melissa Dimond, Executive Director and President of Wellspring.
Wellspring shares our deep gratitude to the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, the Institution for Savings, Sailors’ Snug Harbor, The City of Gloucester Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the Ludcke Foundation.“In a time of unprecedented economic challenges and inflation, it’s clear that our partners remain steadfast to supporting change and providing a hand-up to our most vulnerable community members,” said Dimond, who added, “We share our deep gratitude and continued appreciation for their unwavering support and for helping Wellspring continue in our mission to help more local families secure living-wage employment, achieve financial security and avoid the crisis of homelessness all-together.”