What We Learned In a Year: Independence T.O.G.E.T.H.E.R. Celebrates One Year Anniversary!

April 5, 2024 | By: Doug Cowan, CSL President & CEO

On March 27, 2023, CSL and the City of Independence, launched Independence TOGETHER. This was the culmination of an idea that started in 2019, and was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea was relatively simple – provide a supported employment program for adults experiencing homelessness. What does that mean? It means we don’t simply tell folks, “go get a job and stop being unstably housed.” Instead, we create a supported environment that helps adults transition towards a life anchored by permanent housing and permanent employment.

Truth be told, I was a bit of a skeptic on March 26, 2023. We had only received a few applications to work on this new roadside litter crew, and I was nervous that this would be a big flop. The first day, our crew rolled big yellow trash carts down Noland Road and grabbed as much trash as possible. Within a couple days, we had dozens of applications as word of mouth spread.

In a year, our crews filled more than 15,000 bags full of trash, totaling more than 375,000 pounds. Additionally, 15 crew members moved from unstable housing to permanent housing thanks to the program. So, what’s the story behind the story? What did we learn?

Don McLaughlin calculating the amount of trash picked up from our crews on just day two of Independence TOGETHER.

Meaningful change in a person’s life requires meaningful relationship. People don’t often exit homelessness or generational poverty without a mentor or advocate on their side. Our crew leader, Don McLaughlin, is the front line relationship for our team, and he helps them build or rebuild positive work habits in their lives. He also helps them address a variety of challenges in their lives.

This opportunity would never have come to fruition without public transportation. CSL’s main office, where our crew starts work every day, is next to the KCATA transit center in Independence. Of our typical crew of 8-12 members, only one or two, at most, had access to a car. Everyone had to take the bus to work, and many rode the bus for long stretches of time. Some got on the bus as early as 5:00 a.m. to make it to work by 7:30 a.m. This subject is worthy of a longer post, but getting people to jobs is a big challenge, and most jobs are not accessible by public transportation.

Independence TOGETHER crew members

Independence TOGETHER is a program that is laden with supports. For adults living on the streets, most of them have nothing. Just meeting basic survival needs is a challenge. So, we provide work clothing and equipment, meals for our crew, and daily pay to help people make this job stick in their life. Many of our workers also attach to permanent housing through a CSL program. For example, we have a philanthropy-supported housing program called Bridge Housing, and we help split the cost of rent over two years with adults transitioning out of homelessness.

Change takes time. That is a major lesson from the last year. Early on, I thought we could move people through quickly and move on to the next person who needed help. Many folks have been on the streets for years, and a major change process doesn’t happen in a few weeks. The biggest hurdle is finding permanent employment. Criminal records, substance abuse, lack of transportation, absence of identification, physical and mental health issues, lack of job skills and training – these are just some of the things that make permanent job placement difficult.

So, I’m entering our second year of this program very optimistic. It’s truly a win-win proposition for our community. A viable and dignified job for people living on the streets (with a pathway to permanent housing), and cleaner roadways and green spaces. Our crews have become an extension of our CSL family. Every morning there are lots of “hellos” and “how are you doings?” and occasionally a few big hugs. I’m proud of how our community has rallied around this issue. I’m grateful for the support of the Independence City Council and the City Manager, the Noland Road and Independence Events Center Community Improvement Districts, and T-Mobile Foundation, which all provided additional financial support to expand Independence TOGETHER.

We hope to engage our broader community in this work, and we hope you’ll consider joining our Community Clean-Up Day, presented by Stewardship Capital, on April 20! Click here to learn more.