1. Economic Factors that Contribute to Women’s Homelessness
RAINS Undergraduate Research Fellow, McKenzie Dodge
Associate Professor and Chair of Economics, Dr. Jennifer Pate
Elizabeth House is a non-profit shelter program in
Pasadena, California, committed to the health and welfare
of adult pregnant women and their children. These women
may be homeless or of low-income, lack family support,
victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse, experience
crisis pregnancy, or have emancipated from foster care.
Elizabeth House seeks to prevent homelessness and break
the cycle by providing essential parenting and life skills,
and encourage holistic health. The house can
accommodate six women and four children at a time. An
average of 15-18 units are served within a year’s time.
According to the Status of Women in Pasadena,
there are, “583 adults and 83 children among the
homeless...”
SOURCES OF FUNDING
The most important event for the Elizabeth House
is their annual Gala, bringing in about 36% of the
organization’s projected income.
The 2015 Gala reached its goal, raising $135,000.
Such nonprofits can receive unlimited contributions
from individuals, corporations, and unions.
The 2015 Budget is $686,480, including projected
expenses such as therapy ($42,000), client
assistance ($15,000), educational resources
($6,500), and professional development ($2,500).
Aside from these consultant and professional fees,
the budget must account for other expenses like
fundraising fees and grants to partner
organizations.
Min Max Mode Average
Distance (miles) 1 63 1 14.23
Age (years) 20 41 25 27.83
Duration (days) 1 510 197 139
Clients at Elizabeth House stay 4-6 months after their
babies are born. We used the median duration of stay
to get a better idea of the center of the data since
there were extreme outliers. Therefore, the residents
in our sample stayed 97 days.
Program Before During After
CalWorks/AFDC 66.66 80.00 33.33
Food Stamps 70.00 73.33 50.00
MediCal 43.33 50.00 36.66
WIC 56.66 73.33 36.66
CalWorks (TANF): monthly allowance for essentials, single mothers with children under 19 are eligible (must
work certain hours/month)
Food Stamps: nutritional assistance to low-income individuals/families, the only form of income assistance for
the majority of poor Americans
MediCal: health coverage for low-income individuals over a certain age and/or disabled, children more likely
than adults to qualify (low-income pregnant women can also receive coverage for prenatal care and childbirth)
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): federal assistance
program for healthcare and nutrition of low-income pregnant women, women breastfeeding, and
infants/children under the age of five
The table displays whether each individual was
enrolled in a welfare program before, during, or
after their residency at Elizabeth House. This is a
major factor in measuring the success rate of
Elizabeth House.
Factors that specifically cause women to be on
welfare include the lack of affordable childcare,
poor education and skill levels, and unemployment.
Elizabeth House helps these women find jobs,
continue their education, acquire practical skills,
and slowly wean them off welfare.
Debbie Unruh,
Founder &
Executive Director
Terry Bright,
Director of
Programs
Kali Ratzlaff,
Administrative
Assistant
Over the span of 20 years, Elizabeth House has
supported 280 women and more than 400 babies.
Elizabeth House has helped these women battle the
economic factors that cause and prolong homelessness
by encouraging their residents to become self-sufficient,
functioning parents and members of the community.
The purpose of this study is to examine
economic factors that contribute to
women’s homelessness such as
unemployment, lack of affordable
housing, increases in rent, and rising
health care costs.
DISTANCE, AGE, DURATION OF STAY
Elizabeth House offers fundamental programs
to its residents such as:
Case Management, Therapeutic Services,
Education, and Practical Needs.
Through Case Management, Elizabeth House
determines what each resident needs in
terms of therapy, education, and practical
help.
The long-term success of Elizabeth House lies
in their personalized Follow-Up Program that
is provided to alumni after they transition to
independent living. The program stays in
contact with about 70% of the residents after
they leave, of which, only 4% have gone back
into homelessness.
Alumni and wrap-around services are key in
helping clients stay afloat and thrive. These
services include assisting women in finding
employment, continual therapy, moving into
safe and affordable housing, and following up
with healthy living.
CONCLUSIONWELFARE & BENEFIT PROGRAMS
INTRODUCTION