Genesis Home Sees 89% Increase in Need for Shelter

"Everywhere I go, I hear there is an increase in the need for housing aid, especially for families." - Philip Mangano, Executive Director, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness


On Tuesday, USA Today reported that the number of homeless families seeking shelter is on the rise in cities across the country.

Sadly, that's certainly true here in Durham.

According to Genesis Home Executive Director Ryan Fehrman, year-to-date Genesis Home has provided 9,877 nights of shelter to families with children. That's an 89 % increase - up from 5,215 shelter nights provided during the same period last year.

Over the last quarter, Genesis Home served a total of 18 families in the Family Matters program and two youth clients in the Independent Living Program. Totaling 61 individuals, those families include 21 parents, 38 children, and 2 young adults. That's more than double the number of folks served during the third quarter of 2007.

Every day for the last weeks, we've ridden the stock market roller coaster, read the bad news, and felt rather helpless. But, helping our neighbors living at Genesis Home is one thing we can do right now.