CHAF The Cambridge Housing Assistance Fund

Linda Wood Boyle
Executive Director of HomeStart, an agency supported by CHAF

2005: "I spend a lot of time thinking about homelessness and the last year or two have been a real challenge with cuts in federal and state funding and the merger of all these businesses, which affects philanthropy and foundation giving. It's really hard not to get depressed, so I started this thing about 18 months ago about counting my blessings.

Now I'm honored to serve on the City of Cambridge's Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness Commission. As part of this city-wide process, we are taking inventory of what services there are here in Cambridge. And there was this delightful moment where the whole issue of CHAF came up and there was this reverent moment of just, 'Wow, aren't we blessed to have CHAF.' I don't do a lot of front line, direct care anymore, but I hear from my staff all the time, 'Thank God we have CHAF because there was this client that was in this situation and that situation.'

And we don't take it for granted. It may be the seventh year, but it is something we treasure just as much as we did year one. And it makes just as much of an impact as it did year one. And every single dollar you raise makes and impact on a family or an individual who is avoiding homelessness."

2003: "I have been working more than a decade in homeless services and I can tell you, the challenges we face this year are like none other.

At HomeStart, what we do is targeted housing search, stabilization and homelessness prevention. And once a client has found an apartment, we drag out what's called our toolbox. And a critical part of that toolbox is rental assistance. It's the rental startup costs that are often the last barrier to a client putting a roof over their head.

These are people who have done all that they need to get it to happen - they are working, they have an income, but all of a sudden - oh jeez - we need $3,000 for first, last and security deposit. CHAF makes that difference! It helps people make that last step from being homeless to permanent housing."

What One Gift Can Do

You have the power to make a real difference in the lives of so many families and individuals with a contribution to CHAF. As State Representative Alice Wolf put it, "From a statewide perspective, there's probably no more important activity that you can be doing than assisting people to remain in housing and to not fall into the specter of homelessness, both as a human endeavor but also as a way of really preventing this continual cycle that has gone on." Below is a quick look at how one small gift can make a big difference.

How Your Gift Helps

Average Amount to Help One Family

$800

Households Helped in 2010

Percentage of Households with Children Helped in 2006

22%

Percentage of CHAF/HomeStart clients still housed one year later

95%

Approximate Number of Households Helped Since 1999

1,500

Total Raised in 2010

$155,000

Total Raised since 1999

$1,600,000

CHAF's 2011 Fundraising Goal

$150,000

Affordable Housing In Massachusetts
Did You Know...

A minimum wage earner ($6.75 per hour) can afford* monthly rent of no more than $351 while the Fair Market Rent** for a one bedroom unit is $912 in Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, a worker earning the Minimum Wage must work 124 hours per week in order to afford a two-bedroom unit.

A full-time worker must earn $20.93 per hour in order to afford a two-bedroom unit.

In Massachusetts, an extremely low income household earning $22,563 or 30% of the median income, can afford monthly rent of no more than $564, while the Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom unit is $1,088.

* A unit is considered affordable if it costs no more than 30% of the renter's income. ** Fair Market Rents are determined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. All data is from: National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) Out of Reach 2004 (http://www.nlihc.org/oor2004)