
Our History & Mission & CEO
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Mission
The mission of Homeless Children’s Network is to decrease the trauma of homelessness and domestic violence for children, youth, and families; to empower families; and to increase the effectiveness of collaborative efforts among service providers to end homelessness and poverty.
HCN works to decrease the impact of trauma and to empower families. Our comprehensive clinical services enable us to work closely with each family to understand their needs and to connect them to resources here or through other providers. We form a trusted relationship and follow our clients over time, providing security and stability that allows them to become more stable and confident, raise healthy and emotionally independent children, and develop skills and training that will help lift them out of the cycle of homelessness. Annually we serve more than 2,500 unduplicated individuals who are homeless, formerly homeless, or at risk for homelessness.
To increase the effectiveness of collaborative efforts among service providers, HCN is the hub of a 60+ member collaborative of agencies serving the homeless population in San Francisco.
From Our CEO
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Dear Friends
Many of us have walked by an adult sitting in the doorway of a building. Their obvious despair and tearful glance tell us part of their story. We dare look toward those folks’ eyes—so telling—then look away. Not because we don’t care; we do care! We look away after taking a breath because we don’t know what to say to ease the pain. Ours, and theirs.
What we don’t see, however, is even more disturbing. Children are attempting to survive, have food to eat, and go to school while living on the street. The childrens’ parents simply don’t have support in place to maintain suitable housing.


Journey Begins

CARE
Homeless Children’s Network (HCN) provides comprehensive case management, direct services, and highly viable referrals to homeless and formerly homeless families with children ages 0-25 years and expectant parents who are homeless, formerly homeless, or at risk for homelessness. HCN’s inception in 1992 originated with a few long-time directors throughout San Francisco who all managed homeless shelters for families.
Homeless Children’s Network (HCN) provides comprehensive case management, direct services, and highly viable referrals to homeless and formerly homeless families with children ages 0-25 years and expectant parents who are homeless, formerly homeless, or at risk for homelessness. HCN’s inception in 1992 originated with a few long-time directors throughout San Francisco who all managed homeless shelters for families.
CONTINUITY
One problem the directors continually witnessed was the fact that there was no continuity provided to homeless families as they moved between various transitional housing sites. That fragmentation was so disorganizing to homeless families who were already tremendously overwhelmed that many parents and children opted to remain isolated and unhoused, rather than agree to the availability of temporary housing and be subject the inevitable unpredictability and competing priorities.
CONSISTENCY
People need stability to thrive. And yet, each homeless shelter only had funding to meet the temporary housing needs of families, with no funding to create further support. Some sites allowed 3 – 6 weeks of residency, while others allowed 3-6 months. The reality was that the families had to leave their providers whom they’d grown to trust after a short while, only to be asked to form other trusting relationships that were also destined to end shortly. The impact of these serial provider transitions was devastating on children.
COLLABORATION
Additionally, each provider and agency functioned alone. There was neither communication nor cross-pollination between agencies and hence tremendous duplication of services which led to greater fragmentation. Gaps in services and an uneven standard of care between homeless shelters was common.
CREATION
​Out of the insights and experiences of these directors came a vision to unify the service agencies providing care for homeless children and their parents, and to strengthen the intentional support provided to various housing staff. The larger purpose was to create a hub organization that would be the organization and unifying voice for the entire collaborative, while addressing the complex psychosocial needs of homeless children, youth, and their parents.

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Homeless Children’s Network Serves Thousands of Homeless Children, Youth, and Parents.
Traumatized, overwhelmed families hide in shelters from domestic violence, or live in cars, camp along dangerous urban corridors, or agree to unhealthy and unsafe demands just to have temporary housing from strangers. It’s grim.
Why don’t we see them on Market & 8th by the Civic Center, or on Van Ness, or in any other intersection that we see other adults most every day? It’s simple. To be seen as a mother with young children on the streets at night without a place to live in a large city would put you and your children even more at risk. Children must hide in order to stay alive!
Homeless Children Network’s Services Allow Homeless Children and Families to Come out of Hiding.
For every person we see on the street, there are at least 10 families with children we don’t see. Homeless Children Network will reach and support each child and parent. My vow as CEO...as long as one child remains homeless I will stay steadfast in the movement of their visibility and healing.
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Homeless Children’s Network Saves Lives.
I’m so proud of what HCN has achieved over more than 30 years. It’s powerful to know that our thoughtfully crafted, and intentionally, lovingly set programs result in healing and resilience for children, families, and community members: ​
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Programs to reduce depression and anxiety in children and youth - GOAL MET
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Programs to reduce suicide ideation and thinking in youth - GOAL MET
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Programs to increase housing and self-sufficiency for homeless families - GOAL MET
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Programs to increase optimism and positive social-emotional skills - GOAL MET
Learn more about our impact this past year or explore ways to support our work. Thank you for supporting this work in so many ways. We welcome and look forward to another year of well-being and strengthening for homeless families and the children whose lives brighten with each connection.