Carrfour Supportive Housing

Mission

To bring together the resources and expertise needed to provide permanent housing and supportive services to maximize the self-sufficiency of the formerly homeless in Miami-Dade County and other cities in Florida through joint ventures with other non-profit organizations.

Founded

Founded in 1993 by The Homeless Committee of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (GMCC). Carrfour is part of the Continuum of Care for the homeless coordinated by the Homeless Trust.

Leader

Carrfour is the only non-profit organization in Miami-Dade County solely dedicated to providing permanent housing and supportive services to formerly homeless or those at risk of becoming homeless. Carrfour currently operates 359 units housing 631 people, of which 250 are children.

With the addition of the new projects currently in development, by the end of 2007, Carrfour will be serving approximately 1,000 residents living in approximately 700 units.

“They are giving us an opportunity to get somewhere we weren’t able to get. Now we’re able to save a little bit of money. We’re able to do the things we weren’t able to do. It is a Crossroads. A crossing to a better side of the road.”

Venell-
Carrfour, Del Prado Resident

Success Rate

Nationally and locally, supportive housing is 85% successful in stabilizing and housing even the most difficult to house populations. Carrfour’s success rate is 94%. “Success” means that they stay housed or move to other permanent housing of their choice.

Resident Profile

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Average age is 50

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65% are disabled with a major mental illness, and most are dually diagnosed with substance abuse issues

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88 families

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317 children

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Racial/Ethnic breakdown:

•	55% Hispanic
•	28% African-American
•	9% Caucasian
•	3% Afro-Hispanic
•	2% Haitian
•	2% Asian-Hispanic
•	1% Trinidad-Tobago

Cost-Effective

•	Supportive housing for a single adult for one year - $6,000
•	Prison bed - $17,575
•	Boarding home - $25,550
•	In South Florida six days of hospitalization pays for a year of supportive housing for a single adult

Supportive Services

•	Referrals/Advocacy: Carrfour's supportive services staff act as "system navigators" providing comprehensive, client-directed advocacy to ensure that the needs of each client are met. The supportive services staff link each client with entitlement benefits, mental health services, legal services, medical care, recovery support services, transportation assistance and any other services the client needs in order to succeed.
•	Life Skills: Many homeless individuals have either lost or never had daily living skills necessary to maintain housing and employment (Paying bills, balancing a check book, grocery shopping, time management, establishing a budget). Carrfour Service Coordinators meet individually with each resident to help him or her develop these basic skills.
•	Job Search & Placement: Carrfour Service Coordinators provide residents with hands on assistance during their job search and placement process. Residents are provided with bus passes, uniforms, tools, clothing for interviews and any additional resources that may help them gain employment.

Board of Directors

Carrfour’s Board of Directors is comprised of noted business leaders, homeless advocates and residents of Carrfour’s building developments. Five of the Board members are appointed from the ranks of the Board of Governors of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. A third is comprised of resident representatives. The Board itself appoints the rest of the members.

Properties

•	Rivermont House – 76 units (789 NW 13th Avenue, Miami)
•	Little Haiti Gateway – 79 units (6201 NE Second Avenue, Miami)
•	Del Prado Gardens – 32 units (18107 Northwest 41st Court, Miami)
•	Wynwood Apartments – 50 units (233 NW 20th Terrace, Miami)
•	Scattered site programs in South Dade and Homestead – example of Dade’s “Housing First” model
•	Wynwood Apartments – 50 units (233 NW 20th Terrace, Miami)
•	Scattered site programs in South Dade and Homestead – example of Dade’s “Housing First” model
•	Little River Bend - 66 Units (8240-8260 NE 4 Pl. Miami)ade’s “Housing First” model
•	Mainstream Vouchers for the Disabled

In Development

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Harding Village –92 SRO units (8540 Harding Avenue, Miami Beach)

•	Due to be completed in 2006

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Sunsouth Apartments – 70 units (530 Meridian Avenue, Miami Beach)

•	Due to be completed in 2006

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Royalton – 70 units (131 SE 1 Street, Miami)

•	Due to be completed in 2007

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Villa Aurora – 1000 units (1398 SW 1 Street, Miami)

•	Due to be completed in 2008

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Additional housing for single adults

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Additional housing for families

Address

155 South Miami Avenue, Suite 850, Miami, FL 33131

Phone

(305) 371-8300

Fax

(305) 371-1376

Web Site

www.carrfour.org

How to Help

•	Make a tax-deductible donation – Each dollar donated leverages $100 in government funding
•	Organize a fundraiser to benefit Carrfour Supportive Housing (i.e. Golf Tournament, Concert)
•	Host a small reception so we may tell your friends and business associates about Carrfour’s valuable work.
•	Volunteer to serve on the Board of Directors or a Committee (Fundraising, PR, Advocacy)

•	Volunteer (i.e. Groups needed to assist with landscaping projects, read to a group of children, tutor residents in one of Carrfour’s computer labs, help a Carrfour resident obtain a job, paint an apartment)
•	Send Carrfour your email address to receive monthly updates (Send to: info@carrfour.org)
•	Help coordinate a holiday party for some of Carrfour’s 250 children who were formerly homeless.
•	Make an in-kind donation (landscaping tools, books, toys, food/hygiene baskets or art materials)
•	Send us your mailing address to receive updates, our newsletter and invitations to our special events, and groundbreaking and dedication ceremonies of new buildings.