Call 215-232-1984 anytime night or day.
Our work begins with Street Outreach. Project HOME’s Outreach Coordination Center (OCC), in partnership with the City of Philadelphia, the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDs), and other service providers, coordinates outreach to people living on the streets of Philadelphia. Last year, the OCC made 6,890 unique contacts and placed 2,869 individuals. Homeless Outreach can be contacted day or night.
Outreach response workers build trusting relationships that enable individuals who are experiencing homelessness to accept placement in appropriate settings where they can begin to stabilize their lives. The outreach teams attempt to establish a rapport that gradually leads to acceptance and an agreement to accept help. Outreach teams conduct street outreach around the clock seven days per week, with additional teams out during summer and winter weather emergencies.
Our Aim Is To Make Homelessness Rare, Brief and Non-Recurring Throughout the City of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia has high poverty and unemployment rates that have resulted in many people experiencing homelessness. Philadelphia is a national model for street outreach.
What You Can Do
- Help is available. Call Homeless Outreach day or night at 215-232-1984.
- Volunteer and donate.
- Buy a copy of One Step Away.
- Homeless advocates suggest you not give money to panhandlers.
- Mental Health First Aide Training. If someone is interested in it. Please contact Department of Behavioral Health at 215-685-5440.
What’s Being Done
Philadelphia is a World Class destination for tourists, residents and new businesses. Major construction projects have caused many homeless people to change their daily patterns, creating a higher level of concern in Center City.
The Office of Homeless Services of the City of Philadelphia is aware of this issue. It exists to provide leadership, coordination, planning and the mobilization of resources to address homelessness . . . . .
. . . . . And We are Making Progress
There are many organizations working together to end homelessness in Philadelphia.
- Last year we virtually eliminated veteran homelessness.
- In early 2016 no families were found living on the street.
- Affordable housing with social services has an 85 percent success rate in preventing a return to homelessness.