Albuquerque Heading Home (AHH) conducted another successful Home Team training on Saturday, February 17th. Home Team Program Manager, Kristy Anderson, and AHH Housing Director, Jodie Jepson, led the training with key insights to the program offered by current volunteers and recently-housed AHH clients, who we call “neighbors.”

Home Teams are groups of 2-4 volunteers who provide social support to newly-housed neighbors as they transition from living on the streets into permanent supportive housing. Volunteers spend a minimum of three hours a month helping our neighbors with cooking, grocery shopping, making appointments, going on hikes, going to the library and the zoo, and other activities that help in their transition.

These new groups of volunteers will soon be paired with one neighbor, who they will commit to help for at least six months. Many Home Team members have been involved with the same neighbor for years.

The social support that Home Teams provide are a vital component of the Housing First model (PDF), an evidence-based approach to end homelessness.

From our Home Teams Program Manager

The Power of Home Teams

Kristy AndersonI manage the teams of volunteers who help our clients (we call them neighbors) as they settle into their new lives in housing. Most tend to isolate and need gentle encouragement to get out and about where they make new ties and build relationships. This is where the Home Teams come in. When I match a neighbor with a team, I find out what activities they might like to do with their team, such as fishing, going for walks in the park, hiking, movies, attending church, learning how to cook, or going out to eat. These are just a few examples of how Home Teams have supported their neighbors in reintegrating back into society and the community.

Please call or email me if you would like to learn more, or become part of a Home Team: 226-1700 x 208 | kristya@headinghome.org.