Gift Cards in Action!

John putting together a crib for a new mom and her new baby. Donated gift cards not only provide a great Christmas for homeless families but also help to provide for emergency needs like this. Learn more about Vision House at www.vision-house.org

No Homeless Kids

Vision House provides transitional housing and support services to homeless mothers and their children, and separately to homeless men recovering from drug or alcohol addiction,
helping them achieve independence and self-sufficiency.

The Face of Homelessness is a Child
· The fastest growing homeless group in the U.S. is families with children (United Way, 2004).
· One out of every four homeless persons is a child (United Way, 2004).
· According to the One Night Count that took place January 24, 2008, there were nearly 10,600 homeless individuals in King and Snohomish Counties, 2,500 of whom were children.
· National studies suggest that over the course of a year, three times as many people experience homelessness as are counted on any one night.
· Men, women and children were refused shelter nearly 114,000 times in King and Snohomish Counties last year because there weren’t enough shelter beds.
· Half of homeless women and children are fleeing domestic violence.

The Need
· More than 150 women and children are on the Vision House waiting list.
· Vision House receives approximately 1,000 calls per year from homeless individuals seeking help.
· Homelessness evolves into hopelessness, desperation, crime, incarceration, poor health, long-term dependence on public assistance, and a decline in the overall health of our communities.