ABOUT SARAH PASPAL-JASINSKI:
Sarah Paspal-Jasinski is development director at the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, which has been serving the homeless population since 1982. Since 2003, they have been housed in the Robert J. Delonis Center. Today, The Shelter Association is a national model of public-private partnership. By collaborating with 30 other service providers on-site in a safe and caring environment, the Shelter offers the tools and help necessary to support individuals end their experience of homelessness permanently.
RESOURCES:
Shelter Association of Washtenaw County
Shelter Association of Washtenaw County on Facebook
Shelter Association of Washtenaw County on LinkedIn
Shelter Association of Washtenaw County on Instagram
Shelter Association of Washtenaw County Almost Home 2024
Shelter Association of Washtenaw County Annual Report
TRANSCRIPTION:
David Fair: A scarcity of affordable and available housing in Washtenaw County is an issue we've been dealing with for a long time, and it appears it's going to continue into the foreseeable future. But the impacts require action now. I'm David Fair, and welcome to this week's edition of Washtenaw United. The waitlist at the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County's Women's Shelter is at about 50 right now, and the wait time for these waitlisted women runs about seven months. That's a problem, and it's why there is an ongoing effort to expand the women's shelter capacity by 50%. Our guest this morning is right in it. Sarah Paspal-Jasinski is development director for the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County. And thank you for making time today! I'm grateful!
Sarah Paspal-Jasinski: Thank you so much for this opportunity to speak to the public!
David Fair: To set a baseline, when it comes to the unhoused in Washtenaw County, are we better or worse off than we were a decade ago?
Sarah Paspal-Jasinski: I would have to say we are probably worse off. We continue to see challenges with mental illness in this community, and that is really one of the underlying factors why the problem is only getting worse.
David Fair: So, as we contend with these issues, how many women can the Shelter Association serve on a daily basis right now?
Sarah Paspal-Jasinski: Yes. Well, we can serve many women on a daily basis with all services. But for residential shelter, we currently have 15 beds available for women. And with this initiative, we are going to be increasing bed capacity by 50% to 23 women in our residential programs nightly.
David Fair: And, obviously, that's still not going to be enough. What are some other shelter options for those who are waitlisted and awaiting expansion at the shelter?
Sarah Paspal-Jasinski: So, at the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, we do serve about 1200 individuals each year experiencing homelessness. So, if you did the math on the length of stay and how many beds we have available, you might be coming up short. And how can you support that many people at one time? Anyone in the community experiencing homelessness can come to the shelter and take showers, eat meals, work with case management on the housing piece, learn about other resources in the community that are available to them. We also do have a co-ed mat program seven months out of the year that provides a additional ten beds for women, so we could support 33 women nightly. And then, during the winter warming season, we open up our doors to all with cots and mats on the floor five months out of the year, so all individuals have an opportunity for a safe, warm place to sleep at night. In terms of other resources throughout the community, they're very limited for overnight stay. We certainly work with other organizations that can provide individuals with safe places to sleep outdoors at night, and those are usually with some of our faith-based partners that will allow camping and tenting on their facility because, as you know, you really cannot tent and camp throughout the community without having that area torn down by our law enforcement. But there are some very supportive organizations in the community that will allow you to do that in the evening. We are always faced with the capacity issue at the shelter, and, as we mentioned, it really is getting much, much worse.
David Fair: We're talking with Sarah Paspal-Jasinski on 89 one WEMU's Washtenaw United. She serves as development director for the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County. We've clearly established the need for capacity expansion of the women's shelter. Now, as I understand it, the plan is expected to be completed sometime in July. But not all of the needed resources are in place as of yet. Where do you stand in that fundraising endeavor?
Sarah Paspal-Jasinski: Thank you for asking. Yes. You know, any time you increase capacity, it's not just about providing an extra space for people to sleep. You have to have those supportive services. So, for us, supportive services is staffing to support those individuals that now have needs that need to be met. One of the most important things we can do is connect individuals with case management. They really walk people through the process of locating income, identifying supporting documents and finding crucial housing. So, for us, to support that kind of role on an annual basis costs us an additional $65-70,000 a year. So, these are things that we are really trying to bank funds for to have that supportive staff in place on top of some of the additional expenses for the modification of the space and the equipment that goes into that space. We can do that through a variety of ways. We can have definitely direct donations for these initiatives and effort. And then, I think you might be asking me soon about an upcoming event that we have, which we hope people will consider to help us to raise funds for that.
David Fair: And I will bring up the event in a short period of time. But I also want to follow up on a note that you made, and that is the women's shelter is not just a place to stay when needed. There are programs and services available. Once a person does get shelter and is going through the process, what are the skill sets that are being taught to create that self-sustaining future?
Sarah Paspal-Jasinski: Well, first and foremost, you cannot move into housing if you don't have income. So, step one would be to identify income, whether that be through social security and disability or employment. We certainly provide warm job leads for individuals. We provide women with opportunities to access clothing, whether we have a clothing bank on site or that we're providing vouchers to individuals. We help people improve their health outcomes. So many times, case managers will be attending doctor's appointments with individuals because it's always nice to have that support system. We provide the transportation. If we're not driving people ourselves, we're certainly providing tokens to them in the community. Sometimes, people need legal support. Obviously, on site, people are provided with meals. You know, people are provided with an address, so that they can fill out an application and use an address in our facility. Some folks are struggling with substance abuse, so we certainly provide support--pre and post-treatment facilities. We certainly work with our folks on financial acumen. The sooner they can save for their own first and last month rent, the sooner they can move in to a rental unit. So, those are just a few of the things that we do. We also try to really be in a supportive environment for people. There's always something different happening at the shelter. And it's kind of a really wonderful experience on the women's floor, I have to admit. In the evening, when all the women are settled, it's just like women coming in and sharing a cup of tea with each other. And the back pocket benefit of shelter is you have to remember poverty is more than just lack of financial resources. It's lack of human resources. So, on the women floor, friendships are formed. People leave the shelter with an additional support system for people that have experienced some of the hardships that they have, and now they work together to have a better life.
David Fair: Once again, this is 89 one WEMU, and our Washtenaw United conversation continues with the development director for the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, Sarah Paspal-Jasinski. Obviously, the women's shelter expansion is continuing. It will be completed in July. You have an upcoming fundraiser and awareness event called "Almost Home." That's going to take place Monday, June 24th at Barton Hills Golf Course. And, as I understand it, you have a notable keynote speaker.
Sarah Paspal-Jasinski: Yeah, we're really excited this year. Our keynote speaker is Darren McCarty, former Detroit Red Wing. Now, sometimes we all know we're Ann Arborites, and we're so passionate about this community. And people might be thinking, "I don't know the connection with Detroit." What I love about Darren is he himself has overcome substance abuse disorder, and he really speaks to the resilience of the human spirit. No matter what walk of life you are in, no matter what your economic status is, we all have challenges that we face. And every day, we have to wake up and get back on that horse and and give it a go again. So, I think he really can speak to some of the hardships some of our populations have gone through and really remind us that take it one day at a time.
David Fair: And for one of the hockey world's toughest guys, to be able to express himself in such vulnerable ways has impact beyond the words.
Sarah Paspal-Jasinski: Absolutely! This event is really one for us. It is a stewardship event. It's an opportunity to really honor and thank the donors that support us on an ongoing basis. And you're always looking for that guest speaker that might draw in new people and have a different perspective. And I certainly think he brings that. And, as a bonus, we try to make this event an experience for all. And he is so ingrained in the community and his willingness to sign autographs and meet people and talk with them. And he himself is golfing. And there's an opportunity still available if people want to bid on an opportunity to golf with him. They can visit our website at www.annarborshelter.org. It's for just dinner reception guests and golfers alike. It's kind of 50/50 split, to be honest. I mean, 50% of the people golf, and 50% of them don't. It's just a beautiful atmosphere, obviously a wonderful menu. We've got wine auctions. We've got other auction items available, the guest speakers, and plus, I can't forget to mention our wonderful Cassie Avery, who is a former client who is going to get up and tell his story. It's just an experience. It's a wonderful night of coming together as a community and supporting the work that we do.
David Fair: Well, thank you for the time in the information today, Sarah, and I wish you the very best on Monday, June 24th at Barton Hills Golf Course with the Almost Home fundraiser!
Sarah Paspal-Jasinski: Thank you so much, David! And thank you, listeners!
David Fair: That is Sarah Paspal-Jasinski, development director of the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County and our guest on Washtenaw United. For more information on the Women's Shelter Expansion initiative and the work the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County is doing, stop by our website at wemu.org when you get a minute. We'll also have the information for you on the Almost Home fundraising event on June 24th. Washtenaw United is brought to you every Monday and is produced in partnership with the United Way of Southeastern Michigan. I'm David Fair, and this is your community NPR station, 89 one WEMU FM, Ypsilanti.
UWSEM STATEMENT:
“Housing is a human right. There can be no fairness or justice in a society in which some live in homelessness, or in the shadow of that risk, while others cannot even imagine it.” – Jordan Flaherty, Floodlines: Community and Resistance from Katrina to the Jena Six
The reality is that housing affordability and who experiences being unhoused is an increasingly difficult issue experienced all over the nation. Washtenaw County is no exception.
With Washtenaw County being one of the most expensive places in Michigan to live, it is no surprise that we as a community still struggle to keep people from experiencing houselessness. As noted in this MLIVE article, “Right now in our community, we have close to 400 people experiencing homelessness,” said Aubrey Patino, Avalon’s executive director, adding over 2,500 people per year experience homelessness in Washtenaw County and an additional 850-plus units of supportive housing are needed.
Review this presentation on the current state of homelessness and affordable housing in Washtenaw County by the Washtenaw Housing Alliance. Then, explore potential affordable housing solutions being generated by the Ann Arbor Housing Commission.
Then, watch this TikTok on exclusionary and anti-homeless architecture, features of buildings and public spaces designed to keep unhoused people away from certain places, disguised as art or conceptual designs.
WEMU has partnered with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan to explore the people, organizations, and institutions creating opportunity and equity in our area. And, as part of this ongoing series, you’ll also hear from the people benefiting and growing from the investments being made in the areas of our community where there are gaps in available services. It is a community voice. It is 'Washtenaw United.'
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