reStart Inc - Transitional Living - Families
reStart’s programs for homeless families began in 1987 as one of the first family emergency shelters in Kansas City. Today, our Family Shelter provides for a family’s immediate needs for food and housing, but also offers a wide range of support services and the opportunity to move into a longer-term transitional housing program while they “restart” their lives.
- In 2011, the Family Emergency Shelter served 151 families, including 197 adults and 238 children. In addition, 134 families were served in our Family Transitional Living program, including 183 adults and 290 children.
- Services provided for families include:
+ Employment and on-the-job training
+ Housing assistance
+ Life skills and financial literacy classes
+ Mental health screenings and individual, family and child therapy
+ Substance abuse recovery services
+ Health and nutritional education and screening
+ Art therapy and arts activities for adults and children
+ Family field trips and educational activities
+ Mom U, a monthly volunteer-led program which provides special support and fellowship for
mothers at reStart
- Families are not required to vacate the building and re-enter daily, and parents are not required to be employed – we help them gain employment.We welcome all families, including those headed by single parents, gay and lesbian parents, unmarried parents and parents with HIV/AIDS. reStart has launched the “Home for Good” Campaign, which includes plumbing and heating upgrades, security, roof and structural repair, equipment and appliances, and floors and fixtures throughout our Family Shelter. Families in our Transitional Living Program receive individualized case management, where our staff helps each family develop individualized goals and action steps that will lead them to self-sufficiency.
- 88% of the families in our Family Shelter program in 2011 exited to permanent housing. 100% of their school-aged children attended school regularly while living at reStart.
