Our Mission.

Our Mission is to provide transitional housing, support and services for elderly (58+) homeless, or at risk of homelessness, men and women primarily from the Greater Danbury Area.


Goals

The goal of the Shelter of the Cross is to reduce homelessness of elderly in the Greater Danbury Area. We do this by providing safe, secure and affordable housing, renewing a sense of hope, reinforcing self-worth, restoring dignity and confidence in the future. It is expected that residents will move from our transitional program into permanent and independent housing within two years. Outreach support and services will be provided to our graduates for eighteen months to ensure their success.


Values

  • The Shelter of the Cross is non-denominational.
  • We believe in the inherent dignity and worth of each individual.
  • We believe that decent, safe and affordable housing is a basic right.
  • We believe that each individual resident has strengths and skills upon which to build.
  • We embrace the assumption that the community has a responsibility to care for those less fortunate in our midst.

Vision

It is our vision that the elderly of the Baby Boomer generation need never face homelessness. We will continue to work and advocate on the Federal, State and Local level for adequate, safe and affordable housing for all in the new millennium.

Philosophy

The Philosophy of the Shelter of the Cross is that all residents deserve dignity, compassion, and respect as they move toward the goal of independent living. We have a commitment to provide a supportive and nurturing environment in which each resident is afforded the opportunity for growth and change. All services must protect client's rights, promote improved access to appropriate care and support client empowerment and choice.

Method

The Shelter of the Cross, Inc. provides shelter, rehabilitation, and support for up to two-years for older (58+) homeless men and women. During this time, we develop or build upon residents' strengths and life skills, address issues which caused them to become homeless, and connect them to community resources and services to ensure a successful transition into permanent and independent housing in the community within two years.

The Shelter of the Cross is an innovative program designed to be flexible and adaptable in addressing the unique and varied needs of each resident.

Those who come into the Shelter of the Cross receive social, financial, medical and psychiatric help as needed through in-house programs or referrals to community resources and services. On-site staff and volunteers work to provide a supportive, caring, family-like environment in which residents work to create and commit to individualized action plans to address the issues which caused them to become homeless in order to ensure a transition into permanent housing within two years.

Outcome Measures

We measure success by Pre and Post Test Results on Assessment Tests administered on admission and on "graduation" from the Shelter of the Cross. The ultimate measure of success of our program, however, is successful retention of housing for 18 months after transition into permanent housing. In actuality, the successes for our residents begin on entry to our program.

Our anticipated rate of success was that 80% of our residents would maintain their housing for 18 months. We have exceeded that goal! We are pleased to report that to date all but one of our "graduates" have retained their housing for 18 months or longer.

When considering that some of our residents were homeless for up to 25 years prior to coming into the Shelter of the Cross, we take pride in their successful transition into and retention of permanent housing.

Achievements *

  • 53 Elderly Homeless Men and Women were assisted since we opened our doors in March, 1998.
  • 32 Have obtained independent housing.
  • 18 Obtained needed medical attention.
  • 26 Received Group Counseling on-site or through referrals to community.
  • 18 Received individual counseling either on-site or through referrals to community mental health programs.
  • 25 Applied for and were granted financial benefits and entitlements.
  • 14 Obtained part-time employment.
  •   9 Volunteer in various capacities within the community.
  • 11 Were referred and now receive treatment for Substance Abuse.
  • 12 Were reconnected to family.
  •   5 of our residents have agreed to be trained in conflict resolution techniques in order to serve on a panel, if needed, to resolve conflicts which may arise in the house.

    * data as of May 2005
We also provided on-site Nutritional Education, Life Skills Training, Substance Abuse Education Groups, AA Meetings, Bible Study, Quaker Dialog, and a variety of social gatherings, to list just a few of the activities offered to our residents.

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