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Community Education Digest
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Welcome to our Community Education Digest! The aim of Ozone House's Community Education Digest newsletter is to connect our community's resources and services with the youth and families who need them most. Each month, the Community Education Digest highlights an Ozone House program along with related resources in our community. Many of these resources can also be found in the Ozone House Info Cards shown below.
This month we highlight our 24/7 Crisis Line.
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Ozone House 24/7 Crisis Line
Ozone House offers resources and support to youth 24/7 through our crisis line, 734-662-2222. No matter what time of day, anyone can call our crisis line and have the opportunity to talk with a trained crisis line counselor. Whether you are in crisis or you know of someone who is, our crisis line is available to you. We are here to listen and make plan. If you know of anyone who would respond yes to one of the following questions, please call our crisis line to make a safety plan.
- Have you thought about hurting yourself or suicide?
- Are you unsafe at home?
- Have you run away?
- Are you homeless?
- Have you been kicked out?
- Has someone hurt you before?
- Have you hurt yourself?
- Are you scared?
- Have you had sex for money or a place to stay, food, or anything of value?
- Did you ever work or do something illegal and someone else got money because of your work or your act?
- Are you experiencing family conflict?
- Is something else bothering you?
Crisis Line counselors will help a young person get access to food and shelter, or direct them to a safe place to hang out. Please remember the crisis line is available even when other resources are not. The crisis line is supported by staff and volunteers 24/7, even during holidays.
Please Call:
734-622-2222
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Allison joined Ozone House in the summer of 2015 as a crisis line volunteer and has quickly made herself an invaluable asset to our Ozone House team. Now, in the position of Crisis Line and Volunteer Coordinator,
Allison provides daily support to our callers and to the volunteers on
the lines.
Her passion for social justice began while studying at U of M Dearborn where she participated in the women in leadership group on campus and became a student liason to the women and gender advisory board. During her volunteer experience, Allison thrived off of being young peoples' first contact and providing stabilizing support during crisis. As the coordinator, she has excelled in training new crisis line volunteers and providing continuous support to our current crisis line team. Allison loves working at Ozone because of the care and focus the agency puts toward youth. Every member of the team is invested, including volunteers who devote their time and provide genuine empathy and support to people in crisis.
Allison's time away from Ozone is spent with her adorable 4 year old son, Luca. Whether they are singing songs, snuggling, or playing weather report and preparing for "funderstorms", Allison cherishes the time she has with her son. If you want to know what a funderstorm is, or if you are interested in volunteer opportunities on our crisis line or across our agency, Allison can be reached through email at
abrengle@ozonehouse.org or through the Ozone House business line 734-662-2265.
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Resources in our Community
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UTILITY ASSISTANCE
If a student or family is at risk for utility shut-off, the Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development recommends completing the
emergency assistance intake form first. If they have any questions about the form, they may contact the OCED directly at (734) 544-6748, or review the information on the Community & Economic Development
website.
Additionally SOS community services has provided the following
flyer
:
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DAY TIME WARMING CENTERS
Dec 1- 16, 2016
§ Journey of Faith Christian Church (8:30am - 4:30pm)
1900 Manchester Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (Stadium and Washtenaw)
(734) 971-4245
Dec 19-30, 2016
§ Trinity Lutheran Church (8:30am - 4:30pm)
1400 W Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103
(734) 662-4419
January 2017
§ St. Mary's Student Parish (9:00am - 4:30pm)
331 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 663-0557
February 2017
§ First Congregational Church (8:30am - 4:00pm)
Monday, Wednesday & Friday ONLY
608 E William Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 662-1679
§ First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor (8:30am - 4:30pm)
Tuesday & Thursday ONLY
517 E Washington Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 663-9376
March 1-31, 2017
§ Lord of Light Lutheran Church and Student Chapel (8:30am - 4:00pm)
801 S Forest Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 668-7622
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DELONIS WARMING CENTER INFORMATION
Nighttime Winter Programs:
Begin: November 14
th
2016.
End: April 3, 2017 with the last night of April 2nd 2017.
Delonis Day Warming Shelter:
Begin: December 5th 2016
End: April 3rd
The Delonis Center is open:
8:30am-5:00pm M, W & F
8:30am-7:00pm T & Th
For access to the warming center each client must call Housing Access of Washtenaw County and obtain a referral to the Delonis Center...
There will be in person HAWC screeners at the Delonis Center from 6pm to 10pm beginning November 1st Monday through Friday beginning November 14th until January 30th 2017
There will be no screeners on weekends or major Holidays.
For general questions about warming centers contact
Laura Urteaga-Fuentes at (734) 544-3052 or urteagal@ewashtenaw.org
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The Education Project Updates
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Holiday Gifts are coming!
Volunteer elves are working around the clock to make sure that the gifts provided by some awesome community donors can get to your students! We are packing up bags now and would like to distribute them Monday - Thursday of next week, 12/19 - 12/22.
We have some people making plans to take gifts to schools, but if you have availability to pick up please contact
ephycontact@washtenawisd.org
to coordinate pick up.
The referral is intended to be filled out by school staff or community partners with the students or families in need of support. Once a referral is completed, the information should be shared with the Education Project staff as well as the Local Liason.
Click here to obtain a copy:
As of December 10th Foster Youth are no longer considered McKinney-Vento and will be primarily supported through DHHS. The Education Project and the WISD will continue to offer basic supports to youth and help facilitate communication between the schools, families and case workers.
Plan to attend the January 12th liason meeting at the WISD for further clarification.
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The Education Project, sometimes known as the Education Project for Homeless Youth, is designed to ensure that students experiencing homelessness or unstable living situations enroll, regularly attend, and succeed in school. Under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, students who are homeless must have equal access to free and appropriate public education.
The Education Project works closely with Liaisons in the school districts, Allies within each school, community partners, and families to identify and serve all youth affected by homelessness.
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Education Project
Who is Homeless?
Homelessness does not always look like a family living in a car or on the street; it exists in many different versions. The primary criteria we consider are: Is their housing Fixed? Is it Regular? And is it Adequate?
Fixed: Is it permanent or not subject to change? For example, is the person staying somewhere that they have a right to live? Are they not on the lease? Could they be asked to leave?
Regular: Are they staying the same place every night? Do they have to switch locations frequently?
Adequate: Is the residence sufficient? Do youth staying in the home have a bed to sleep in? Are there health risks and unsanitary conditions in the home? Does it meet the physical and psychological needs of a child?
Although we all hope that homelessness is very temporary, it can be a perpetual experience for many families and unaccompanied youth. It is important to ask these questions and understand each family and youth's situation.
How can I access the Education Project?
The education project is housed in the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. The website is
http://www.washtenawisd.org/services/k-12-student-services. Here you can find information about who is eligible for McKinney-Vento services, what services are offered and additional links and supports around youth homelessness and education.
How can I help?
The Education Project relies on a combination of grant support from the state and donations from members of the community. Many of the items provided to families, like toiletries and school supplies, are supplied through donations. This allows the Education Project the ability to fund other school related expenses like field trips, sports/activities, tutoring services and temporary transportation for students. Additionally, the program is always looking for volunteers to help pack up supplies for youth as well as deliver supports to schools within the districts. By having a team of volunteers ready to disperse supplies, EPHY will serve families more effectively. Click here to learn about ways you can help:
The Education Project Volunteer Flyer
The Education Project office is staffed regularly Monday - Thursday from 9am - 3:30pm.
Any questions regarding a young person's McKinney-Vento status and the supports available can be direct to
ephycontact@washtenawisd.org, or by phone at (734) 994-8100 x1518.
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If you know a youth or family who could benefit from Ozone House services,
please have them call our 24-hour Crisis Line:
734.662.2222
There is always somebody here to listen.
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Need More Information About Ozone House?
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| Ozone House Poster |
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We will come to you!
We provide educational presentations to middle and high school classrooms or assemblies, as well as organizations throughout Washtenaw County.
To order free printed education materials, or to schedule a presentation,
contact Dawn Espy at
call (734) 994-8100 x1518
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Ozone House Outreach Card |
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To learn more about all of our crisis intervention, housing or support services, or to get involved with Ozone House,
please visit our website at
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