Street Card Available and On the Streets

Thanks to University Hospitals for Printing the 2014 Street Card

The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) has updated its comprehensive guide to homeless services for homeless people known as the Homeless Street Card for the twenty first year. The Cuyahoga County Homeless Street Card is probably the most valuable resource produced by the Homeless Coalition.  It is a front and back piece of paper that contains extensive, up-to-date information on resources such as shelters, meal sites, job training agencies, health clinics, chemical dependency services and other assistance programs.  The Homeless Street Card lists all the services available to those without housing and must be accessible right from the streets.  They can fold it up and put it into a pocket or purse to carry around for reference. The Homeless Street Card also lists bus routes to get to some of these services as well as information on how to get identification.

We have seen dramatic changes in the world of social services with consolidations and the closures of shelters and homeless providers. Now, we have the Coordinated intake in Cleveland for finding shelter and services it is even more important that there is a document to assist people in finding help.  Typically, it is the key to finding food, shelter, and many other services that are critical to the persons’ circumstances.  The Homeless Street Card lists all the services available to homeless people who need assistance right off the streets without appointment or referral.

Through the generocity of University Hospitals, we were able to print 10,000 Homeless Street Cards and have begun to distribute to individuals, shelters, hospitals, schools, police stations, and libraries.  We hope that this one page guide will shorten a person's stay on the streets or in the shelters.  We hope that they can use this resource guide to move out of homelessness quickly.

 The most popular part of the NEOCH website is the page with our Street Cards (www.neoch.org/street_card.htm). On the website, we have also posted a shorter version of the Street Card which can be printed out on regular letter sized paper.   The organization also publishes a Veteran's Street Card for any homeless person who served in the US Military and a Family Street Card for the fastest growing population families.  NEOCH encourages people or agencies to make as many copies as possible and to distribute them to those in need. The newest edition of the Cuyahoga County Homeless Street Card can be downloaded for free at / under Resources/Street Card.  NEOCH can also mail a few copies by calling 216/432.0540.

Brian Davis

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