YaleWomen Connecticut

Curiosity and Conversations – with savories and sweets!

“Opening the aperture” about issues that affect women – engaging in conversations, discourse, and discovery. This is some of YaleWomen’s best work!

Join us for a thought provoking conversation about the issue of homeless: Who are the homeless? What are the causes of homelessness? What are the solutions?

With these Yale women alums – graduates of the Schools of Management, Nursing, and Public Health – who are making a difference:

• Madeline Ravich '09 MBA is the Development Advisor and Director of The BE HOMEFUL Project of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. She oversees all of CCEH’s fundraising efforts.

• Katherine McCormack '81 MPH, RN, MEP has worn many hats in service to the City of Hartford, including Director of Emergency Management and Director of Health.

• Linda Schwartz ’84 MSN and ’98 DrPH has worn many hats in service to veterans, including Commissioner of Veteran Affairs for the State of Connecticut and assistant secretary for policy and planning for the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Linda continues her work on women veteran issues with a program that began when she was Commissioner of Veteran Affairs, "Have You Ever Served?" which supports efforts to identify veterans in the community and with health care providers.

Introduced by Amy Levine Klein ’93, ’98 JD

Sunday afternoon, April 7, 2019

2 – 4 pm

(2-2:30 social, 2:30-3:30 conversation with Q&A, 3:30-4 social)

At the Hartford home of Susan Lennon ’85 MPPM.  Susan’s address and other details will be provided to those who RSVP.

RSVP no later than Sunday, March 31^st

A YaleWomen Connecticut tradition: potluck refreshments! Savories – those whose last names begin with A through L. Sweets – those whose last names begin with M through Z. Susan will provide beverages.

Do you know? (sources: various)

• Homelessness is one of our nation’s most misunderstood and vexing social problems. Homelessness does not discriminate. Families with children, single adults, teenagers and older individuals of all races struggle with the devasting effects of homelessness.
• More families experience homelessness in the United States than in any other industrialized nation. Thirty-five percent (35%) of homeless persons are in family households (typically a single mother with two young children). Families are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population.
• One in 30 American children experience homelessness annually; 51% are under age five. More than 2.5 million children are homeless each year.
• Thirty-one percent (31%) of all homeless people are youths under the age of 24.
• While the number of veterans experiencing homelessness has decreased, veterans make up approximately 95% of all homeless adults – 90.8% are men and 8.5% are women.
• The lack of affordable housing is a primary cause of homelessness. (Homelessness and poverty are inextricably linked, affecting the ability to pay for housing, food, childcare, health care and education.)
• Domestic violence is also a primary cause of homelessness. Ninety-two percent (92%) of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse at some point in their lives, and 63% have been victims of intimate partner violence as adults.