BUILDING BRIDGES

Each community has unique needs. The scope of your program may change based on several factors (ex. urban vs. rural, the ages of children living at local shelters, special need students, a large immigrant population, the prevalence of substance abuse or domestic violence, etc.).

Community examples: The local Homeless Coalition, school district, city or county human services department that provides services to homeless children and families. These agencies can provide valuable contact information about shelters and possible partners, as well as information on the situation of the homeless in your region.

Partners should expressly define the intended purpose of the program. As with beginning any new initiative, challenges may be great; but with frequent problem-solving meetings and a dedicated staff, success will prevail. Once a common purpose has been agreed upon, partners should enter into an interagency agreement clearly stating the roles and responsibilities of each participating agency.

The transient nature of homelessness makes even modestly priced programming prohibitive for many families. For this reason, ArtREACH by design is free to homeless families and family providers (shelters). By melding your educational programming with that of an existing agency, your organization may be able to reach underserved populations without incurring a draining cost. In the FUNDING section of the ArtREACH Tool Kit, various resources are explored to access local funding sources.

Once the primary partnership has been established, your organization can reach out to other agencies and shelters. These other agencies serve primarily to provide clients to attend the program and have a lesser role in major decision-making processes for the program. A representative from each of these shelters should attend partner meetings regularly to keep the agency abreast of changes in programming, to voice concerns, and to present specific needs of their clients. A preliminary meeting with all area shelters to present the program can provide a basis for future partnerships.