Laura Rosi Housing Families Inc Archives

Housing Familes, Inc. serves up thanks to our legislators

September 14, 2015 karengarden 0

It was a potluck dinner with everyone helping out. The staff, volunteers and families brought large plates of delicious homemade food to share with each other and the legislators. The dinner was held to thank the legislators with whom Housing Families, Inc. have been working with through the year. These legislators were able to get HFI and their allies much needed funds to run their programs. The Representatives were Paul Donato, Steven Ultrino, Christine Barber and Paul Brodeur. Also, they gave a special thank you to Senator Jason Lewis. These legislators were able to get much needed funds to enable HFI and their allies, i.e. Youth Harbor(a program for unaccompanied youth between the ages of 18-and-22 years old), RAFT(residential assistance for families in transition) and others. An increase of $18.7 million which allowed another 900 to 1,000 new vouchers was awarded to Massachusetts rental voucher program. This program provides housing stability and security to extremely low income households, including elders, disabled individuals and families with children. A home-based line item which helps prevent homelessness […]

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Negotiations continue to secure funding for Housing Families and Youth Harbor

June 30, 2015 karengarden 0

Laura Rosi, director of housing and advocacy for Housing Families, Inc. (HFI) of Malden presented the increased need for funding to the legislators at the State House on June 2. Rosi was accompanied by Kelly Irving, case manager, Rhonda Dunn and Clarissa Thomas, recipients of assistance from HFI. Joining were Sam Margolius, of Youth Harbor, and Cyril Fonrose, who was helped by Youth Harbor. Youth Harbor assists homeless, unaccompanied high school students with housing and individual life skills in order to become self-sufficient. There has been a request for $2 million put into the budget. Margolius thanked Senator Lewis for the support. Youth Harbor has not had public funding before. For the record, there are an estimated 5,000 homeless, unaccompanied high school students in Massachusetts. Fonrose told his story of being left on his own as a teenager. He was in Malden High School and was referred to Margolilus, the high school representative of Youth Harbor. Margolius was able to help Fonrose get housing and assisted him with college admissions. The group first met with […]