Eden I&R Celebrates 25 Years of Service to Community:
Millions linked to critical community resources
For immediate release (1/4/2001)
On January 7, 2001, Eden I&R (Information & Referral), Inc. will
celebrate its 25th year of operation, linking people and resources. At
noon on Monday, January 8th, a buffet-style luncheon will be held at its
offices. The celebration is made possible through a generous donation
from Café Bijoux, operated by Joyce Jaquith and Donna Brown, that
will open at 855 B Street in Hayward in mid-February. The Press is invited
to participate.
Eden I&R, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, Women & Minority Business
Enterprise (WMBE) organization headquartered in Hayward, is committed
to serving as a link between Alameda County families and individuals,
and the full range of community resources available to them. The agency
is well-known throughout the county by social service providers and government
social welfare agencies alike as THE source of information on, and referral
to, low-cost housing, emergency shelter, and supportive services for at-risk
and homeless Alameda County residents. Their trademark Community Housing
And Information Network Phone Line makes this crucial information available
free of charge, and only a phone call away (Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm, 510-537-2552).
Eden I&R provides its services to the most vulnerable members of the
community, covering a wide demographic range - homeless families, single
women with children, domestic violence victims, persons transitioning
from welfare to work, youth, their parents, and youth service providers,
monolingual Spanish-speaking elders, persons living with HIV/AIDS, and
incarcerated pregnant and parenting young women at the Santa Rita Jail.
Agency computers are networked to a database of over 33,700 low-cost
housing units throughout the East Bay. Housing Department staff do landlord
outreach throughout the year to obtain new housing listings that include,
but are not limited to, information about move-in requirements, terms
of tenancy, acceptance of rental subsidies, pets, handicap accessibility,
and vicinity to public transportation. Information on housing availability
is free of charge to all callers to Eden I&R, and landlords pay no
fee to list.
In order to disseminate the information gathered by the Housing Department
to the low-income people who need it most, Eden I&R operates a battery
of services, including six phone-based programs, and five collaborative
Roving Housing Resource Programs. In the latter case, Roving Resource
Specialists bring laptop computers loaded with the latest housing availability
information to homeless shelters, One-Stop Career Centers, AIDS Service
Organizations, the Santa Rita Jail, and the Alameda Point Base Conversion
Project to assist clients of those agencies who are also in need of affordable
housing. In addition, Eden I&R distributes housing information to
55 Bay Area community-based organizations through annual subscriptions
(soon to be available online).
Eden I&R also publishes the Big Blue Book: Directory of Human Services
for Alameda County. Now in its 8th printing, the 2000-2001 edition lists
detailed information on over 850 human service organizations, including
a description of services offered, hours of operation, eligibility criteria,
intake information, access to public transportation, and other pertinent
information. The Big Blue Book has earned its position as the starting
point for locating human services because it is accurate, up-to-date,
and comprehensive. It is relied upon by a wide range of service providers,
including social workers, employers, librarians, churches, administrators,
and health care workers. Nancy Buell of Kaiser Permanente in Hayward had
this to say about it: "I know it's called the Big Blue Book, but
it's gold to me!"
In addition to information and referral services, Eden I&R is the
official after hours phone service provider for the Alameda County Office
of the Public Guardian, Adult Protective Services, and Child Protective
Services. Eden I&R's Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Spanish language capacities
have resulted in a variety of service contracts over the past 25 years,
including: Translation services for the State of California's 911 Emergency
Telephone System, and Pacific Bell's Cantonese Language Assistance Bureau.
These two contracts alone resulted in over two million calls to Eden I&R's
Hayward facility.
Last fiscal year (July 1, 1999 - June 30, 2000), Eden I&R responded
to over 34,000 calls for assistance. About half of all calls were made
to the Community Housing And Information Network (CHAIN) Phone Line. Eighty-seven
percent of the nearly 25,000 referrals made through CHAIN were for housing,
while the remaining thirteen percent were for social services. Two-thirds
of callers were single-parents with children, one-third were homeless,
and 86% were women. These numbers come as no surprise given the Bay Area's
white-hot housing market, and the ripple effect it has had on the county's
most vulnerable residents.
As a result of the agency's role as a clearinghouse of emergency shelter
and social services information in the immediate aftermath of the 1989
Loma Prieta earthquake and the October 1991 Berkeley/Oakland Hills firestorm,
Eden I&R is recognized as a major link between disaster victims and
recovery services, and a leader in disaster planning locally, regionally,
and statewide. As a lead agency for Alameda County's Collaborating Agencies
Responding to Disaster (CARD), and as an active member of disaster councils
throughout the county, they hold responsibility for developing reliable
communications systems in the event of a natural disaster. They serve
as a formal link between the official government response system, traditional
disaster relief agencies (i.e., Red Cross), and CARD's numerous member
agencies.
Eden I&R was founded in 1976 on the premise that all individuals
are entitled to fully utilize all community resources for which they are
eligible, that optimum utilization of these resources can substantially
enhance the quality of life in the community, and that access to these
resources is often limited by lack of awareness of their existence.
Since its inception, Eden I&R has gained wide recognition for its
superior service delivery, and has been locally and nationally recognized
through awards and certificates. Some examples include: the CAIRS Award
for Agency Excellence (1998 & 2000); the JC Penney Golden Rule Award
for volunteer dedication on our CHAIN Phone Line (1991); the Social Services
Agency Area Agency on Aging's recognition of valuable contributions to
the well being of elders in Alameda County (1999); as well as commendations
from the California State Legislature (1996), and the City of Hayward
(1996).
On this, its 25th Anniversary, the agency re-dedicates itself to its
mission of "linking people and resources" through a celebration
of its most important accomplishment - touching the lives of millions
by providing them with the information tools needed for self-empowerment
and self-sufficiency. The following stories* are a few examples of how,
over the years, the power of information, combined with the personal attention
and dedication of the agency's staff, has linked people with the resources
they needed to survive a crisis.
* all names changed for confidentiality
AIDS HOUSING AND INFORMATION PROJECT STORY [877-4-AIDS-INFO]
Jeffrey Prentiss* had a whirlwind holiday season in 2000. Despite his
difficult circumstances, Jeffrey was able to get back on his feet in time
to set up his Christmas tree and enjoy the holiday. His story begins with
a call for help to Eden I&R's AIDS Housing and Information Project
(AHIP). 24-years old and living with HIV, Jeffrey called the AHIP phone
line on November 13, 2000 from the Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Hayward
where he had been hospitalized for several weeks. On his day of release,
his domestic partner informed him that their relationship was over, and
that Jeffrey would not be able to stay in the apartment they once shared.
Julie, the Eden I&R's AHIP Supervisor who answered Jeffrey's call,
began looking for emergency shelter as well as permanent housing for him.
Over the next 30 days, Jeffrey and Julie spoke on nine different occasions.
During that time, she called the Oaks Motel and the Oakland Housing Authority
to advocate on his behalf, and was able to secure two motel vouchers for
Jeffrey, one from the AIDS Project of the East Bay, and the other from
Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS). She also referred
him to a single room occupancy (SRO) hotel with units designated for people
living with HIV/AIDS.
On December 13, 2000, Jeffrey's ordeal finally came to an end. His application
for permanent residence to the SRO was finally approved - just in time
for the Christmas holiday!
COMMUNITY HOUSING AND INFORMATION NETWORK (CHAIN) STORY [510-537-2552]
Beth: On a dreary August day, Beth called the CHAIN Phone Line from a
payphone. Beth and her two young sons were moving to Alameda County because
she had secured employment in Fremont. Beth explained to Heather, the
Resource Specialist who answered her call, that their car had broken down
a few days earlier in Vallejo with all of her worldly belongings. The
threesome had been staying in motels but their money had finally run out,
and the new job wouldn't start for another 5 days.
After asking important questions about Beth and her children to determine
her eligibility for emergency shelter, Heather utilized the database to
find a shelter that allows women and young children under 10 years of
age, and a food bank to ease the cost of feeding the threesome; both services
were accessible by public transportation. Heather also suggested to Beth
that she call back on Monday because employed callers are eligible for
transportation vouchers through the Work Solutions program.
Beth thanked Heather, saying that this was just what she needed because
her safety net had fallen through. Without the immediate emergency assistance
of CHAIN, Beth may have suffered further setbacks and potentially risked
her job and the long-term stability of her family.
CALWORKS AFTERHOURS PHONE LINE STORY [1-877-4-SOS INFO]
In November of 2000, Elaine, a 38-year old mother of two, called Eden
I&R's CalWORKs Afterhours Phone Line. She and her family had just
moved to Alameda County from Illinois where they had been receiving Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families, Illinois' version of CalWORKs. They were
temporarily living in a motel as they searched for permanent housing.
Elaine called to explain that they had run out of money, and could not
pay for another night at the motel. Her husband, Ronald, a Gulf War Veteran,
had just begun working as a Security Guard, but he would not receive his
first paycheck for another 10 days. As a brand-new employee, he was not
yet eligible for a pay advance. Meanwhile, Elaine's new job, which brought
them to Alameda County, would not begin until the following Monday.
The Resource Specialist who answered Elaine's call was able to secure
a three-day motel voucher. While this would help, it would not get them
through until the next paycheck. Therefore, the Resource Specialist referred
the family to Traveler's Aid, another community-based organization that
offers emergency motel vouchers for families in need.
Between the direct assistance of Eden I&R, as well as the referral
to Traveler's Aid Society, Elaine, Ronald, and their two young children
were able to ride out a rough period in order to stay on their path towards
economic self-sufficiency.
YOUTHLINK STORY [1-877-YOUTH-411]
Michelle, a mother from Oakland desperate to find assistance for her
troubled teenaged daughter, called the YouthLink Phone Line. Her 16 year-old
daughter, Dana, had recently begun experimenting with drugs and, as a
result, was picked up by the police. The intervening officer advised Michelle
to find a drug counseling program to immediately address Dana's risky
behavior in order to reduce future drug use and a worsening of the situation.
He offered her the toll-free phone number for YouthLink as a starting
point.
Overwhelmed by the severity of the situation, and concerned for her daughter's
well-being, Michelle relayed the story to Carlos, the YouthLink Resource
Specialist who answered her call. After answering some questions designed
to identify the best service options available to Michelle, the Resource
Specialist called the Community Resource Center to see if Dana would be
eligible for their Adolescent Drug & Alcohol Treatment Program. The
CRC confirmed her eligibility, and called the concerned mother to make
an appointment.
A few weeks later, Michelle called YouthLink again. This time, she wanted
information on summer employment for her 14 year-old son, Louis. She was
given information on programs open to 14 year-olds at Project Yes and
Harbor House. When the YouthLink Resource Specialist asked Michelle about
her daughter, she was happy to report that Dana had enrolled in the Adolescent
Drug & Alcohol Treatment Program. She also reported that it was still
a very difficult time for her and her family, and she was feeling stressed
out. The Resource Specialist gave her information on the Center for Family
Counseling, an agency which provides family counseling free-of-charge
to parents in situations such as Michelle's. Michelle was very grateful
to have discovered YouthLink, and she thanked the Resource Specialist
for making it so easy to find the services she and her family needed.
ROVING HOUSING RESOURCE PROGRAM STORY 510-537-2710 (for info)
Today, Malik is a poet, a songwriter, an aspiring novelist, a husband,
a man of faith, a student, and a caseworker. Just 18 months ago, he was
also homeless.
Malik's journey began in the spring of 1997 when he was enrolled at California
State University at Hayward. After some personal and academic struggles,
Malik suddenly found himself without a home. Malik went down to the county's
General Assistance office to find a homeless shelter. He landed a bed
at one of the shelters in Hayward, and started working with Pam, Resource
Specialist for Eden I&R's Roving Housing Resource Program, to find
permanent housing for himself and his fiancé.
"Pam was not what we expected. She was not stoic, not condescending
to the guys. She was flexible, and she understood where people were coming
from, like the fact that some guys couldn't read or write. She saw them
as an asset. She had a structured plan. She taught people how to deal
with past credit problems, fill out applications, and how to present that
application to landlords. She always came in with [housing listings].
At other agencies, they're lacking, or they're three, four, five months
old. And if she couldn't do something, she was honest. Pam came rain or
shine."
For the Winter of 1998 academic quarter, Malik enrolled in three classes
while living at the shelter, waking up at 3 am to study at the local donut
shop before heading off to classes. Still on the path to self-sufficiency,
Malik lacked one major foundation: stable housing. Pam found Malik a potential
apartment in Hayward. Through her work with other clients, Pam had developed
a rapport with the property manager. "Pam really advocated for me
with the [property manager] because of the blemishes on my credit history.
The [property manager] told me to get one thing off my credit history,
and she said, 'It's only because of [Pam] that I'm gonna give you this
apartment.'" Twenty months later, Malik still lives in the same apartment.
Years after his six-month bout with homelessness, Malik still comes by
the Eden I&R office to say hi to Pam, and speaks warmly of her: "To
touch the poor, the homeless like she does, it's a special gift from God."
For more information on this press release, please call Barbara Bernstein,
Executive Director, at 510-537-2710, or Phil Cohen, Marketing/Development
Officer, at 510-537-2710.
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