Like many of our clients working in the not-for-profit community, Mutual of America is dedicated to having a direct, positive impact on our society. It is with enormous pride that Mutual of America presents the Community Partnership National Award winners for 2008.

Family Eviction Prevention Collaborative
San Francisco, CA

NATIONAL AWARD WINNER

Families with children are among the fastest growing segment of America's homeless population. In San Francisco, one of the country's most expensive cities, an average of 125 families are on the waiting list for emergency shelter on any given day.

In the face of this overwhelming need, the Family Eviction Prevention Collaborative (FEPCO) works to prevent homelessness by providing rental assistance to families to stave off eviction and help those in shelters or substandard housing find permanent homes.

FEPCO comprises four Bay Area agencies that share a commitment to preventing homelessness—Catholic Charities CYO, Homeless Prenatal Program, Hamilton Family Center and Compass Community Services. All four agencies also share a stream of rental assistance funding from the city of San Francisco and use a standardized application process that affords a client access to funds from all four agencies. This single, streamlined intake process means fewer bureaucratic hurdles for those in need and faster action on the part of the agencies—with eviction, time is critical. "This partnership is changing the way we do business by ensuring that families most in need have access to every resource," says Jose Cartagena, program manager for Catholic Charities CYO's Homelessness Prevention Rental Assistance Program.

Most families facing eviction owe back rent because of an unexpected event: illness, a death in the family, the loss of a job. For families on the brink of homelessness, FEPCO's help can avert calamity: "When you lose your home, you're in free fall," says Brian Cahill, Executive Director of Catholic Charities CYO. "The stress on kids leads to failing grades and behavioral problems that can affect them the rest of their lives; the stress on parents can lead to violence. You can prevent all the pain, dysfunction and damage that come from homelessness with a relatively small amount of money."

Since Catholic Charities CYO formalized the FEPCO partnership a year ago, they have been able to provide early intervention and mediation with landlords that helped nearly 10,000 San Francisco families avoid homelessness. With the housing assistance provided by FEPCO, parents can better ensure the safety and well being of their children and maintain their dignity as they work to stabilize their financial situation.

Partners:
Catholic Charities CYO
Homeless Prenatal Program
Hamilton Family Center
Compass Community Services