- Living Room

Living Room
Celebrating Twenty Years of Hope
Annual Repor t 2015
LIVING ROOM
ANNUAL REPORT 2015
CONTENTS
WHO WE ARE
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A MESSAGE FROM ANGELA SUSTEN & PAM DORSETT
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OUR MISSION
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IT ALL BEGAN HERE
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
13LEADERSHIP
PROGRAMS
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HOUSING DONE DIFFERENTLY
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CLIENT OVERVIEW
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IMPACT & OUTCOMES
COMMUNITY
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THRIVING TOGETHER
22OUTREACH
23EVENTS
25
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
25
OUR PARTNERS
FINANCES
28
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
31
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
ANNUAL REPORT 2015
LIVING ROOM
Envisioning a world
without HIV and
homelessness, one
family at a time.
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A N N UA L R E P O RT 2015
WHO WE ARE
Living Room
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A N N UA L R E P O RT 2015
A Message From Angela Susten & Pam Dorsett
For the clients we serve, stable housing is vital to
health and dignity. We are privileged to serve an agency where individuals with HIV can obtain housing
and regain health and hope. Hope is in the faces of
our clients: the smile of the man who had been living
on the streets but now has a home to call his own; the
tears of joy from the mother who can save her home
through the financial assistance from Living Room;
and the laughter from the child who feels safe and
secure because he is with his family. This is the hope
that we strive to give to all people we serve.
The organization dealt with heartbreaking loss last
year, yet remained focused on its mission. Executive
Director Chuck Bowen unexpectedly passed away in
December. A memorial service was held in January,
and many members of the community graciously
contributed to Living Room in honor of Chuck. Gifts
in Chuck’s honor served as a remembrance of his
compassion for those in need, and provided additional support to the programs and people he cared
about so deeply.
Notwithstanding our loss of Chuck, Living Room
had many reasons to celebrate in 2015. We commemorated the 20th anniversary of Living Room
with events to attract new supporters and raise funds.
We attracted over 100 people to a luncheon with Liz
Murray, noted speaker and author of From Homeless
to Harvard, and we secured a significant number of
new connections and first-time donors as a result.
Our organization continues to grow our individual
donor base and foundation giving, which allow us to
maintain our place as the leading agency providing
housing services to people living with HIV/AIDS in
Georgia.
In 2015, Living Room provided housing assistance
ANNUAL REPORT 2015
to 1,358 individuals and families living with HIV. We
continued to have great success with helping clients
maintain housing and health as well. Of the clients
we served, 80 percent maintained their housing for at
least six months, and 94 percent reported continued
enrollment in medical care. Our success has been recognized by our funders: We have been approached by
the City of Atlanta, Housing Opportunities for People
with AIDS (HOPWA) to increase capacity in all of
our programs for the upcoming grant year. This will
allow us to end or prevent homelessness for significantly more clients.
In November 2015, Living Room created an Advocacy Committee to improve services and eliminate
barriers to housing for those living with HIV/AIDS.
Our clients continue to experience the effects of
stigma. They report evictions from housing and lost
jobs because of their HIV status. The committee is
dedicated to eliminating stigma and barriers that our
clients face.
As we look back on 2015, we had many successes and
transitions. This year, we are positioned to make great
strides in programs, fundraising, and advocacy. We
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look forward to helping more clients than ever and
producing a positive impact on our community as a
whole.
Thank you for supporting Living Room throughout
2015. Please join us this year as we continue to inspire
hope through housing.
Gratefully,
Angela and Pam
Executive Director
Board Chair
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A N N UA L R E P O RT 2015
Our Mission
To ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS in Georgia obtain and
maintain long-term, stable housing.
It All Began Here
More than 20 years ago, a Catholic nun named Sister
Mary Jane Lubinski worked at the AIDS Legal Project
helping people with HIV/AIDS acquire essential
resources and services. As a result of her experiences,
Sister Mary Jane clearly saw shelter as essential to the
health and well being of the people she served.
Sister Mary Jane wanted to do more to help people
living with HIV/AIDS who were homeless, so she and
a small group from Trinity United Methodist Church
(pictured right) met in a church member’s living
room. Together they conceived and formed Living
Room.
Living Room formally began in 1995 as a part of the
ministries of Trinity United Methodist Church to help
people living with HIV/AIDS find stable, affordable
housing. Living Room became an independent 501(c)
(3) organization in 1999.
Since our inception, we have made an impact in the
community by helping clients locate and maintain
affordable and supportive housing, as well as equipping clients with the tools and skills they need to not
only survive and improve their health, but to move
forward independently and never have to experience
homelessness again. More than 90 percent of Living
Room’s clients are defined as “extremely low income,”
so finding and maintaining affordable housing is essential to preventing homelessness.
Our organization is one of Georgia’s largest facilitators of emergency and permanent housing for people
living with HIV/AIDS. Living Room serves both
the 29-county Atlanta metropolitan area and the
11-county Northwest Georgia region surrounding Rome and Dalton. Because we serve as Atlanta’s
centralized intake and housing information and
referral agency, we are able to assist more than 1,300
individuals each year and help them achieve life-long
self-sufficiency.
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TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
ATLANTA, GA
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2015 Board of Directors
PAMELA DORSETT, Ph.D.
VANESSA KUCERA
MARCUS SIMMS
Behavioral Institute of Atlanta
John Wieland Homes and
Neighborhoods/PulteGroup
PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
NANCY KOUGHAN, D.O.
JONATHAN SHAPERO
ART GOMEZ
Public Health Physician (Retired)
Jonathan Buckhead
Piedmont Healthcare
JONATHAN DARSEY
KATHERINE WOOTEN
JAY SUENDER
Accenture Consulting/Emory University
School of Business (Retired)
Georgia Tech
Ernest Scheller College of Business
E.R. Snell Contractor
NOT PICTURED
GAIL McLAURIN, D.M.D.
MUNAWAR LAKDAWALA
J. DOUG BREWER
Atlanta Periodontics
PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
SunTrust Bank
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“Living Room has
been an angel from
above for me and
my daughter.”
-CASSANDRA
Permanent Housing Placement Client
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“At Living Room,
we are changing
lives and
dismantling
stigma. I see it
everyday.”
-VALECIA CHERRY
Recuperative Care Case Manager
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Leadership
ANGELA SUSTEN
CELESTE ANTHONY
SHAMEKELA BISHOP
Executive Director
Director of Finance
Housing Manager
TREVOR COCHLIN
AUDREY KRUMBACH
LAURA COST
Director of Marketing
Director of Donor Relations
Grant Writer
Meeting Passion with Purpose
At Living Room, we know our programs and services are only as
good as the people who work diligently everyday to make them
possible. Case managers connect clients to services they didn’t
even know existed, while our development team secures funding to
expand services beyond our annual goals. Our work isn’t just a day
job—it’s where passion meets purpose.
ELLIE LINCOLN
Executive Assistant
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PROGRAMS
Living Room
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Housing Done Differently
Living Room serves the diverse needs of our clients across the
29-county region of metro Atlanta and 11 counties in Northwest
Georgia with programs and services facilitating supportive housing
and emergency assistance to anyone who is HIV-positive and is
homeless or facing homelessness.
CENTRALIZED INTAKE
Through our comprehensive network of resources and partners, we assist and receive all HIV-supportive
housing applications in the region and connect clients to the exact services they need. This process, called
“centralized intake,” ensures our clients have access to the best housing available and significantly reduces
cost by eliminating interagency job duplication. Living Room is the leading agency in Atlanta providing
centralized intake to people living with HIV/AIDS.
HOUSING COUNSELING
A client seeking housing can meet with a housing specialist who will identify appropriate housing options.
Through our collaborations, we are able to link clients to housing options. This may be transitional or permanent housing programs, as well as apartments and rooms for rent.
PERMANENT HOUSING PLACEMENT
For a client who has located a new residence and needs assistance with the move-in costs, we will help by
paying first month’s rent, initial program fees, and utility deposits.
RENT, MORTGAGE, & UTILITY ASSISTANCE
We provide one-time payments of rent, mortgage, or utilities to assist someone who has fallen behind financially due to illness, loss of work, or medically necessary costs. A case manager completes an assessment
that includes budgeting and a permanency plan to verify that the client will be able to maintain their current
residence after the assistance is provided.
ANNUAL REPORT 2015
“Living Room really
helped me get where I
am today and taught me
to never take for granted
how much housing affects
my health.”
-PARKER
Emergency Lodging Client
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Stable housing is not only an issue of maintaining
human dignity, but is the proven foundation of
effective medical treatment of HIV.
TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE
We provide monthly rental subsidies to households who are rent burdened—paying more than 30% of
income. Living Room provides in-home case management to help clients focus on ways to maintain current
housing by increasing income or locating more affordable housing options if the household is on a fixed
income.
RECUPERATIVE CARE
For individuals facing homelessness after a hospital admission, Living Room provides a 60-day stay in a care
facility. Living Room pays the program costs for the client and also provides intensive case management to
assist in locating stable housing and securing other benefits and resources.
EMERGENCY LODGING
Living Room is the only agency in Georgia that offers same day housing options to an individual or family who is homeless and living with HIV. This walk-in service is available daily, and clients are assessed and
placed in shelter that night. Clients are then provided ongoing intensive case management to develop a
housing plan that focuses on securing stable housing.
CLIENT OVERVIEW
95%
57%
92%
19%
Extremely Low Income
31-50 Years Old
African American
Chronically Homeless
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SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Individuals who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and also struggle with mental illness, recovery from addictions, or discrimination based on gender identity are provided housing with a specialized
provider in the community. Living Room pays a monthly subsidy for the client and provides case management to help focus on treatment and care while addressing any barriers that may prevent transitioning to
more stable housing.
NORTHWEST GEORGIA PROGRAM
Living Room provides housing counseling; permanent housing placement; rent, mortgage and utility assistance; and tenant based rental assistance to clients living in the rural counties surrounding the cities of
Rome and Dalton. A housing coordinator who lives in the area provides assessments, enrollment, and inhome case management to individuals and families.
IMPACT & OUTCOMES
HOUSEHOLDS SERVED IN 2015
Program
Number
Served
Tenant Based Rental Assistance
102
Special Needs Housing Assistance Program
106
Emergency Lodging
101
Rent, Mortgage, & Utility Assistance
185
Retain housing after 6 months
Remain enrolled in medical care 6 months
after discharge
Permanent Housing Placement
Recuperative Care
Centralized Intake & Housing Counseling
117
87
660
Report being virally suppressed in our
Northwest Georgia Program
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COMMUNITY
Living Room
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Thriving Together
Living Room not only strives to help people living with HIV/AIDS get off the streets, but also works diligently to help
clients maintain their health and become self-sufficient. Our work would not be possible without the vibrant Georgia
communities helping us connect to more funding opportunities and to clients in need of our services. Thank you for
helping Living Room, our clients, and Georgia thrive together.
Outreach
Staff from Living Room and members of the AIDS Ministry at IMMACULATE
HEART OF MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH snap a picture together at the 2015
AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run.
Staff Members from Living Room (left to right) VALECIA CHERRY, AUDREY
KRUMBACH, CHUCK BOWEN, and SHAMEKELA BISHOP participate in
IN THE LIFE ATLANTA’s Black Gay Pride week.
Acting Executive Director ANGELA SUSTEN meets with JIM KOSEK of
CBS46. In December 2015, Living Room was selected as the charity of the
month for the news network and was invited to visit the station and share Living
Room’s work on air.
EMORY UNIVERSITY’s Rollins School of Public Health and Goizueta Business
School selects Living Room for the 23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Community Service Award. JONATHAN DARSEY (left) and former Executive
Director CHUCK BOWEN (center) receive the award on Living Room’s behalf.
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Events
Guests at Taste of Life enjoy wines from international vineyards and foods from
local restaurants. Hosted by HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH, Taste of
Life entered its fifth year in 2015 and raised over $7,500 for Living Room.
Former Executive Director CHUCK BOWEN (left) and donor JULIANA
WINTERS (right) present a gift to author and speaker LIZ MURRAY (middle)
at Living Room’s Turning the Page luncheon event held in the Spring.
Because of donors like you, Living Room
guarantees same-day housing options to people
who are living with HIV/AIDS and homeless.
Board Member JONATHAN SHAPERO (left) and Staff Member TREVOR
COCHLIN (middle) celebrate a trunk show benefitting Living Room, featuring
jewelry made by SUZY LUBEL (right). The holiday event was hosted at the
Jonathan Buckhead Showroom.
Attendees converse and dine at Living Room’s 2015 Gala, The Emerald Ball. The
fundraiser was held at Zoo Atlanta and emceed by television personality and
author MARK PETTIT.
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“Living Room has
given me a second
chance at a healthy
and stable life.”
-CHRIS
Special Needs Housing Assistance
Program Client
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LIVING ROOM
It Takes A Village
We believe strategically and effectively addressing HIV and homelessness in Georgia requires a collaborative effort.
Thank you to our funders who make our work possible every single day. Each of these organizations does amazing
philanthropic work in the community, and Living Room is simply honored to have the support of such a great
network of agencies who are just as interested as we are in making a difference in the world.
OUR PARTNERS
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FINANCES
Living Room
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Financial Summary
Living Room is a financially healthy organization sustaining our programs and services with a combination of
governmental and philanthropic support. Programs and services total 87 percent of the total budget, while only 13
percent of funding goes to administrative and fundraising expenses.
FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
ANNUAL REPORT 2015
“The stability Living
Room provided us
has given us so much
peace. We’ll never
forget it.”
-KEVIN & TONY
Financial Assistance
Clients
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JOIN THE
MOVEMENT
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How To Get Involved
Ending homelessness and HIV/AIDS in Georgia might seem daunting, but it is possible. Below are three simple
ways you can join in Living Room’s mission to help pave a better future for our community. Together we can end
homelessness and HIV/AIDS in Georgia for good.
SUPPORT
Housing is the key to effective medical care and preventing the spread of HIV. When you
support Living Room, you ensure we can help house even more people living with HIV/
AIDS. No matter the amount, your donation gives the gift of housing, health, and hope.
Visit livingroomatl.org/donate to support Living Room.
VOLUNTEER
Whether participating in community outreach and events, helping with administrative
tasks, or serving on one of our six committees, Living Room thrives because of the passion
of our volunteer network. Offering your time and skills at Living Room is a great way to
help advance our mission.
Visit livingroomatl.org/volunteer to become a volunteer.
CONNECT
There is strength in numbers. Just by staying connected to Living Room, you are serving
as an ambassador of our work. Join us online to learn about our work, our clients, and
updates on HIV/AIDS and homelessness in Georgia.
Visit livingroomatl.org/connect to start the conversation.
Living Room
Our mission is to ensure people living with HIV/AIDS
in Georgia obtain and maintain long-term, stable housing.
100 Edgewood Avenue, Suite 725, Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 600-8081 • livingroomatl.org