We are building a new tradition of giving back to the community starting in Nashville. INFORMS Pro Bono Analytics is teaming up with Safe Haven of Nashville to help families move from a shelter to a permanent home and become self-sufficient. Safe Haven is a homeless shelter organization that specializes in proactive programs to assist families. The fundamental program is a rapid re-housing program that assists homeless families in finding housing and attaining financial stability via employment.* Safe Haven utilizes an incentive program to reward families with the household items they need to turn their new house into a “home.” While at the shelter, residents earn “bucks” for successfully completing tasks to help them become self-sufficient. Once a family is placed in permanent housing, they can go shopping in their “Bucks store” for important items such as dishware, pots and pans, kitchen appliances, and other essential items.
You can help in any of a few ways – make a card, donate money, or become a Pro Bono Analytics volunteer.
We invite all Annual meeting attendees to visit the INFORMS Center to create cards of encouragement to families as they move to a permanent home, or to wish happy holidays for program families. Members can also donate any amount (tax deductible) through this PayPal link, even if you can't make the meeting in Nashville, or on site at our booth. Your contributions will go directly towards purchasing household good to assure the “Buck” store is stocked year-around, and thus help the families have a good start.
We hope you’ll take a moment to stop by the INFORMS Center to help us make a difference. At the booth you can also learn more and sign up to become a Pro Bono analytics volunteer.
Thank you!
*Other Safe Haven programs include Trauma Informed Care, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, a children’s education program, summer camp, work development programs, and other services. INFORMS Pro Bono Analytics is currently engaged in a project with Safe Haven assessing the social and cognitive levels of children before and after enrolling in the program by assisting with the design and implementation of a survey, and conducting analysis of the survey data.
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Rina Schneur
Waltham MA
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