Common Ground facts for kids

Common Ground is a special organization that helps people find a safe place to live. It's a non-profit group, which means it uses its money to help others, not to make a profit.

This organization believes that having a home is super important. They think that giving people a place to live is often better and less expensive than other options. They also believe that when people have a stable home, it's easier for them to manage any health issues or other challenges they might be facing.

Common Ground was started in 1990 by a person named Rosanne Haggerty. Since then, they have helped create over 2,000 homes for people who didn't have one. Rosanne Haggerty once said that their goal is "creating a small town, rather than just a building." She meant that they want to build real communities where many different people can live and work together.

In 2001, Rosanne Haggerty's amazing work was recognized with a special award called a MacArthur Fellowship. This award is given to people who show outstanding creativity and dedication. The MacArthur Foundation praised her for saving old, important buildings and fixing them up. She also found clever new ways to get money from banks and other groups to pay for these housing projects.

Helping People Find Homes

Common Ground does a lot of important work to help people who are experiencing homelessness. One of their main activities is learning about the people who need homes. They want to understand their situations so they can create the best plans to help them.

Counting People Who Need Homes

Sometimes, Common Ground helps count the number of people who are homeless. These counts are a way to understand how many people need help and what their situations are like. It helps them see the big picture and plan what to do next.

Understanding Who Needs Help Most

During these counts, they also use something called a vulnerability index. This is a way to figure out who is most in danger or needs help the most. Workers ask about people's health and other needs. Then, they try to encourage those who have been living on the streets for a long time to accept a permanent home. They offer help even if people are still dealing with health issues or other difficulties. Many people who work to solve homelessness see Common Ground as a leader because they come up with new and smart ways to help.

Turning Information into Action

Becky Kanis, who works for Common Ground, explains that counting people is just the first step. She says, "The important part is what we do with this information." Their goal is to move from just dealing with problems as they happen to finding lasting solutions.

She believes that if other cities have successfully helped people find homes, New York can too. Becky also says that they will always look for "smarter and better ways to do things" and use those new ideas. Their main goal is to reach people who might not want help at first and make a positive difference in their lives.