Multiple agencies and service providers in Boston came together for a “Surge to End Chronic Homelessness“ that helped more than 100 of the city’s most vulnerable individuals access housing and/or health care. The third event of its kind, the “Surge” was the result of a months-long collaboration among housing, medical and social service professionals. Through data-sharing and a coordinated assessment of individual needs, the Surge targeted resources to Boston residents most in need of assistance. One participant, “Bill,” initially assumed the event would be “’a lot of talking but nothing to show for it.” Seven hours later, he had “a doctor, an appointment, an insurance provider, and . . . an apartment.”
Several North Carolina communities, from Asheville to Wilmington, hold annual events (such as “Veterans Stand Down” and “Project Homeless Connect”) similar to the “Surge” model. These events are collaborations among veterans service providers and Continuums of Care across the state, with the goal of connecting individuals experiencing homelessness with the resources they need to obtain permanent housing.
