Providence, RI, January 29, 2018– Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE) and the Brown University Urban Studies Department announced a long-term partnership today. The Urban Studies Department will help fund HOPE’s street outreach efforts as well as sponsor the first annual Summit on Homelessness and Poverty (SHP) this February 23 – 25.
HOPE conducts street outreach 6 nights a week with teams of trained student volunteers who provide resources and connection to social services for those currently experiencing homelessness in both Providence and Pawtucket.
When asked about the impact of this partnership on future outreach efforts, HOPE Outreach Coordinator Will Gomberg said,
This funding will transform our ability to provide much needed services to those experiencing homelessness in Rhode Island. Our outreach program can maintain a stable supply of basic necessities and resources to hopefully mitigate some of the issues faced by many in our community. In addition, we are thrilled at the opportunity to partner with the Urban Studies department to come to a more comprehensive understanding of the systemic issues surrounding homelessness, and what our role can be in partnership with community members to bring about lasting change
In addition to the outsized positive impact on HOPE’s ability to conduct outreach, the partnership with the Urban Studies department will include a sponsorship of the SHP. SHP aims to open up a venue for collaboration, discussion, and community building among students and student-led organizations doing innovative anti-poverty work across the country. This summit will serve as a unique opportunity for students to share best practices and improve the quality of services they collectively provide.
When asked about the impact of this sponsorship on the conference, organizer Kate Garry said,
HOPE will be hosting the first annual Summit on Poverty and Homelessness and the Urban Studies Department’s sponsorship will help ensure that it is a success. The logistical effort of hosting students from universities across the region will be remarkably more manageable with the additional funding. We immensely appreciate the Urban Studies Department’s decision to fund both our organization as a whole and the unique endeavor that is the SPH. We look forward to working with the department for years to come.
The partnership with the Urban Studies department also brings added possibilities for HOPE’s Education efforts on campus, the importance of which HOPE Education Chair noted,
HOPE's partnership with the Urban Studies Department bolsters the best opportunity for students to learn about homelessness and poverty in Rhode Island: Nighttime Outreach. It's through Nighttime Outreach that students get the opportunity to learn about the realities of homelessness in the U.S. and the institutional structures that create and perpetuate it from the people who know these realities best.
So much of what we do--from providing the best direct services we can to advocating the structural and legislative change--requires that we have a solid understanding of the status quo and the historical trends that made it so. Our partnership with Urban Studies and the formidable knowledge of its faculty is going to offer tremendous new resources in this effort.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Singh, Dhruv at 781-454-6602 or email at dhruv@brown.edu.
Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE) is a student-run organization at Brown University and part of the Swearer Center for Public Service. We aim to serve the community in Providence and Rhode Island and address the structural issues surrounding homelessness and poverty.
Through direct outreach, advocacy, service and education, we are committed to fighting towards a society in which no citizen experiences the hardships of hunger, homelessness, and poverty.