Every state deals with homelessness, with some worse than others but there are organizations that offer solutions to families experiencing homelessness. Heading Home is a nonprofit that provides street outreach, emergency housing, and permanent supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness.
Heading Home Chief Executive Officer Dennis Plummer and Emergency Housing Program Director Carlos Sanchez visit the set to discuss the resources and services Heading Home provides.
Since 2011, Heading Home has collectively transitioned over 3,000 individuals and their family members into housing. The nonprofit has several programs including their prioritized outreach program ABQ StreetConnect that strives to establish ongoing relationships that result in permanent housing.
“Heading Home along with a lot of nonprofits here in Albuquerque, with the City of Albuquerque are really working to focus on housing because we know that that’s the answer,” said Dennis. “So, in the meantime, there’s obviously emergent needs and so we’re also providing emergency shelter and services that are added to that as well.”
Dennis explains these services could be anything from financial stability, transportation, reconnecting with family members, and even natal needs. In once instance, Carlos says a family was selected to receive a donated vehicle.
“They gave them a vehicle and they relocated them to Washington state. Got enrolled in school, now are housed and are doing awesome,” said Carlos.
He explains that on average, 360 people visit his shelter daily with the number reaching 460 during the winter. Seventeen to 20 families on average rely on the shelter.
Heading Home’s Albuquerque Opportunity Center is a service campus at co-locates two prams, Emergency Housing, and the Respite Care Program. Both share a computer lab, storage area, showers, laundry facilities, medical examination rooms, a classroom area, storage, and outdoor garden.
There are no pre-conditions for service and Heading Home meets the individuals they are servicing where they are located.
Heading Home is a nonprofit organization that relies on the funding of individual donors as well as the government, corporate, and foundation sources. Tax-deductible contributions can be made on Heading Home’s website.
