Client storytelling is a staple of the nonprofit business model, ever present in advocacy, clinic tours, fundraising—and news articles like the one you are reading right now.
11.28.17
When we asked clients during our client experience survey what they liked best about Health Care for the Homeless, many of their responses had something to do with the way our staff makes them feel while they're inside our clinics:
That's because our core value of dignity encourages us to foster a respectful and compassionate environment for each and every person who steps through our doors. Our clinics are open to the marginalized—those that our society has neglected or forgotten about.
We welcome those who don't speak English. We're a safe space for members of the LGBTQ community. We help young people who have been abandoned or cast out by their families. At Health Care for the Homeless, we welcome everyone in, and leave nobody out.
A range of staff members over the last year-plus have worked to make sure everyone knows that. Thanks to their collective advocacy—and to the persistence and leadership of the Health Equity Committee, in particular—"All are welcome here" signs are now posted in all of our clinics.
"I believe that this is just another step in what should be a continuous process to ensure that we stay true to the message all are welcome here," said Gerardo Benavides, who helped get the signs off the ground.
Your very own sign will be placed in mailboxes at 421 Fallsway and delivered during routine mail drop-offs at all other sites.
Client storytelling is a staple of the nonprofit business model, ever present in advocacy, clinic tours, fundraising—and news articles like the one you are reading right now.
The Trans Rights Advocacy Coalition (TRAC) has been the driving force in championing trans rights policy changes in Maryland. Due to stigma and structural discrimination, transgender people—particularly transgender people of color—experience high rates of homelessness. Following the implementation of the Trans Health Equity Act in January, we talked with TRAC leadership about their work and community.
Since starting in January 2022, REI Health Specialist Arie Hayre-Somuah, LMSW, MPH has worked with our clinical teams to identify health disparities and move us closer to health equity. This year, she is turning her focus to the topic of health literacy.
We are delighted to announce the promotion of Hanna Mast from Senior Communications Manager to Director of Communications. Get to know more about her work in the Q&A below!