Task 3: Annotated Bibliography
Brown, M., Mihelicova, M., Lyons, J., DeFonzo, J., Torello, S., Carrión, A., & Ponce, A. N. (2017). Waiting for shelter: Perspectives on a homeless shelter’s procedures. Journal of Community Psychology, 45(7), 846–858. https://doiorg.proxy.lib.odu.edu/1-.1002/jcop.21896
This article was study done on a shelter that used a wait list procedure to allocate beds in the shelter. The researchers conducted the study on three different groups associated with the shelter, those who has a short wait time on the wait list before getting a bed at the shelter, those who had a long wait, and those who were kicked off the waiting list as they did not follow procedures to keep themselves on the waitlist. At this particular shelter, individuals on the wait list had to call at least once a week to maintain their spot on the list. This and other procedural challenges made it difficult for several individuals to stay on the list. Also at this shelter, individuals were allowed to stay for 90 days after coming to the shelter. Surveys and interviews were conducted to show the experiences of the three different groups. The results showed that although it was a positive that individuals could stay 90 days after being admitted to the shelter, the procedures to stay on the wait list very often hindered their ability to utilize the shelters services. This article will aid my evaluation in using it to compare to the Salvation Army’s procedures on filling beds at their Center of Hope Shelter
Frischmuth, S. (2014). Keep Your Sunny Side: A Street-Level Look at Homelessness. Culture, Medicine & Psychiatry, 38(2), 312–323. https://doi org.proxy.lib.odu.edu/10.1007/s11013-014-9372-0
This article provided an overview of homelessness and the feelings of defeat and social resistance. The author of this article had experience with homelessness himself and therefore provides personal and detailed descriptions of the many aspects of being homeless. He also discusses several shelters he stayed in while he was homeless and the benefits and negatives about them. This article will help me build background on the clients at the Salvation Army’s Center of Hope Shelter. Not only will it provide me with valuable information on some things they could have experienced and could be going through psychologically, it will also aid me to compare their experience with the Salvation Army to the experience the author of this article had with the shelters he stayed in.
Salvation Army Center of Hope: Transitioning to a low-barrier shelter model with the primary goal of rapidly exiting people to permanent housing. (2018, December 20). Retrieved from https://endhomelessness.org/resource/salvation-army-center-hope-transitioning-low-barrier-shelter-model-primary-goal-rapidly-exiting-people-permanent-housing/
This article was provided as a resource on the website for the National Alliance to End Homelessness. It provides an overview of the services and mission of the Salvation Army Center of Hope Shelter in Charlotte, North Carolina. This shelter implemented a rapid rehousing program that reduced the average amount of time an individual resided at the shelter from 6 months to 39 days. I am evaluating the same program, except the one located in Winchester, VA. This article will be helpful to me as it will provide me with a similar mission and description of provided services to the program I am evaluating. This will help me to better understand the program and therefore be better able to evaluate it thoroughly. It will also allow me to compare the Winchester location of the Center of Hope to other Salvation Army programs.
Lundahl, B. W., & Wicks, L. (2010). The Need to Give and the Need to Receive: Volunteerism in Homeless Shelters. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 20(2), 272–288. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.odu.edu/10.1080/10911350903269914
This article covered a study that was done on homeless shelter volunteers. The researchers used a phone survey to find out the needs of homeless shelters as far as staffing and to discuss volunteer activities. One of the major findings of the study was that shelter needs that involved donations such as clothing, food, and other necessities are often met. However, more time consuming needs such as child care and transportation are not as likely to be met. Volunteers are the backbone of many homeless shelters and I know the Salvation Army utilizes many volunteers in many of its services. This article will provide me with more information on the roles of volunteers in other homeless shelters and give me a greater understanding of the pros and cons of having a volunteer-based organization.
Glisson, G. M., Fisher, R. L., & Thyer, B. A. (2001). Serving the homeless: Evaluating the effectiveness of homeless shelter services.The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 28(4), 89-97. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https:// www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=2767&context=jssw
This article is an evaluation of the effectiveness of several different homeless shelters and their services. The researchers focused on evaluating shelter services at the local level which is similar to my evaluation of my local branch of the Salvation Army. One of the major findings of this study was that about a third of the participants in the study were maintaining their permanent housing six months after leaving the shelter. The study also found that even though they were maintaining their housing, for many of these families the majority of their income was going to housing. This shows that these families are still not completely stable in their new housing, however have been able to keep a place of their own to live. This article will be a great tool for me as I am conducting my first evaluation of a program and since it is a homeless shelter this article can provide me with a good example of an evaluation.