| Dale Gray (913) 551-5542 |
For Release Friday January 11, 2008 |
HUD OFFICIAL ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $9 MILLION TO SUPPORT HOMELESS PROGRAMS IN METRO KANSAS CITY
KC Metropolitan Lutheran Ministries recognized for years of outstanding service to homeless individuals
KANSAS CITY - Twenty-eight homeless service providers in the Kansas City metro area will receive a record $9,176,749 in grants announced today by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Regional Director
Macie Houston. Houston visited Kansas City Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry at 3031 Holmes to announce the grants and recognize MLM's Project CARE program. The grants will support the full spectrum or "continuum of care" for homeless individuals and families - from street outreach and emergency shelter to transitional and permanent
housing.
In addition, the funding provides for critically needed services including job training, child care, substance abuse treatment and mental health. Summaries of the local projects awarded funding today are listed below. Nationally,
HUD is awarding a record $1.5 billion to an unprecedented 6,200 local housing and service programs.
"These grants will reach into every corner of the Kansas City metro area, helping homeless individuals and families from Independence, Missouri to Johnson County, Kansas move beyond the cycle of homelessness," said HUD
Regional Director Macie Houston. "Homelessness is a tragedy being played out on our streets and in our shelters
every day and we must work harder to understand its complexities and end its revolving door - especially for those experiencing mental illness, addictions and chronic disabilities."
Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry was awarded two homeless services grants today for a total of $479,472. It's Project CARE program, administered out of its midtown location, received $213,515 to provide intensive case management
and life skills education while moving homeless persons into permanent housing. The second grant $265,957, will provide new permanent housing in Wyandotte County. MLM has served homeless persons in Kansas City's urban
core for 36 years from three service locations: Midtown Kansas City, MO, Wyandotte County and the Northland.
HUD's homeless services funding is provided in two ways:
- HUD's Continuum of Care programs provide permanent and transitional housing to homeless persons.
In addition, Continuum grants fund important services including job training, health care, mental health
counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care.
- Emergency Shelter Grants provide funds for the operation of local shelters and fund related social
service and homeless prevention programs. These funds may also support essential services including job
training, health care, drug/alcohol treatment, childcare and homelessness prevention activities. By helping
to support emergency shelter, transitional housing and needed support services, Emergency Shelter Grants
are designed to move homeless persons away from a life on the street toward permanent housing.
The Goal to End Chronic Homelessness
For six years, ending chronic homelessness has been one of President Bush's national goals. Research indicates
that approximately 20 percent of all homeless persons experience long-term or chronic homelessness. These studies conclude that this hardest-to-serve population utilizes more than half of all emergency shelter resources designed
to assist homeless individuals and families. By shifting the federal emphasis toward meeting the needs of the most vulnerable homeless persons, more resources become available for those who experience situational homelessness.
To learn more about chronic homelessness, visit the HUD's Chronic Homelessness webpage.
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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities;
creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the
Internet and espanol.hud.gov.
Metro KC 2007 Homeless Assistance Grant Summaries
Greater Kansas City Continuum of Care
- Kansas City Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry (Supportive Housing Program Project CARE) - $213,515 - Jim Glynn, Executive Director - to provide case management, life skills and job training for homeless individuals and families.
SAVE, Inc. is receiving two grants today for a total of $490,156 - Mark Anderson, Executive Director
First grant is for $289,003 to provide rental assistance and services to 33 individuals and families who are homeless and living with HIV/AIDS.
The second grant is for $201,153 to provide 24-hour assistance in a permanent supportive housing residence for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
reStart, Inc., is receiving five grants today for a total of $795,926 - Evie Craig, Executive Director.
The first grant, $202,115, will provide funding for operating expenses and supportive services under the New Start Permanent Housing Program.
The second grant, $121,390, will provide 12 units of housing and supportive services for homeless individuals with mental illness and substance abuse issues under the Vocational Living Center Program.
The third grant, $226,306, will provide 26 units of transitional housing and supportive services to homeless families with children in the urban core.
The fourth grant, $48,300, is a City of Kansas City, MO project, through reStart, (Jackie Powell with KCMO, please come up) that will provide 12 units of transitional housing along with supportive services to homeless families with children in the urban core.
The fifth grant, $197,815, is also a City of Kansas City project, through reStart, that will provide a safe service that is operational daily from 6:30 am to 3:30 pm and will offer laundry services, telephone access, mail services, showers, restrooms, substance abuse counseling and referral services for homeless individuals.
Mental Health Association of the Heartland - $64,099 - James Glenn - to provide continued operations of an 8-unit complex that provides permanent housing to formerly chronically homeless individuals along with the support services that will help them become self-sufficient.
Benilde Hall is receiving two grants today for a total of $151,730 - Kent Jewell, Executive Director.
The funding will provide permanent housing along with support services for homeless men recovering from substance abuse and other disabilities.
The Salvation Army (Linwood Center Supportive Housing Program) - $232,321 - Ramona Quinn - to provide homeless families and single women with transitional housing opportunities and support services.
Rose Brooks Center (Transitional Housing Program) - $203,610 - Susan Miller, - The funding will provide rent subsidies, case management, individual and group therapy, and a housing and budget educational curriculum.
Sheffield Place - $163,079 - Karen Streeter, Executive Director - to provide transitional housing and services to help homeless single mothers and their children find permanent housing and obtain services and resources needed to increase their education and/or income.
Newhouse - A City of Kansas City, MO Project through Newhouse - $32,935 - Leslie Caplan, President/CEO and Jackie Powell with the City of KCMO - The grant will provide case management to women and children who are homeless due to domestic violence.
Truman Medical Center, Behavioral Health Network - $513,246 for its Access House Safe Haven Project - Ron Hendee, Assertive Community Outreach Director - to provide immediate housing and 24-hour support services, crisis intervention and case management for homeless adults with disabling mental illness.
Community LINC is receiving two grants for a total of $235,948 - Laura Gray, Executive Director or Teresa McClain, Associate Executive Director.
The first grant, $125,890, is a City of Kansas City, MO project, through Community LINC. The second grant is for $110,058. Both grants will encourage independence and self-sufficiency by providing housing, case management, career development and counseling to homeless individuals and families.
United Services Community Action Agency (City of Kansas City, MO project) 130,063 - Tommie Barnett, Executive Director and Jackie Powell, City of KCMO - to provide case management that will link families to resources that will lead to training, employment and self-sufficiency.
Swope Health Services, Marilyn Wherry, Executive Director, is receiving two grants today for a total of $299,731.
The first grant, $185,281, will provide case management, mental health counseling and outreach services to homeless individuals living on the streets and/or in shelters.
The second grant, $114,450, is a City of Kansas City, MO project through Swope Health Services. This grant will provide funding for health care services and pharmaceuticals.
Mid America Assistance Coalition - $43,358 - John Rich, Executive Director - to maintain a homeless management information system that identifies the chronically homeless, homeless services and tracks participants' progress and success.
Greater Kansas City Housing Information Center - $24,857 - Patricia Gilmore-Wilkins, Executive Director and Jackie Powell. This is a City of Kansas City, MO project that will provide supportive services.
The Helping Hand of Goodwill Industries - $36,131 - Mark Smith, Executive Director and Jackie Powell as this is a City of Kansas City, MO project. This grant will help homeless individuals find permanent full-time jobs and transportation services to those jobs.
- Missouri Department of Mental Health is receiving six grants today for a total of $3,901,164 - Pat Brown, Affordable Housing Consultant. All six grants will be used to provide rental subsidy to households affected by severe mental illness, chronic substance abuse, developmental disabilities and HIV/AIDS.
Clay, Platte Counties Continuum of Care
- Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Inc., Northland Supportive Housing Program - $37,356 - Michael Halterman, Chief Executive Officer. This grant will provide rental assistance, case management and supportive services for homeless individuals living in the Northland.
Kansas City, KS/Wyandotte County Continuum of Care
- The Kansas City Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry - $265,957 - Jim Glynn, Executive Director. This is a new supportive housing grant that we are all very excited about. It will provide rental assistance, along with on-site support services, through Sally Farenthold Homes to nine chronically homeless individuals with severe and persistent mental illness.
Hillcrest Transitional Housing of Wyandotte County - $485,226 - Scott Cooper, Executive Director. This is a Unified Government project so Lavert Murray, Director, Depart of Development, please come forward also. This new project will provide 12 units of transitional housing designed to move families from homelessness to self-sufficiency by housing families in fully furnished apartments, providing food, clothing, health care and life-skills counseling.
Cornerstones of Care/Ozanam Pathway - $107,923 - Dorothy Loyd, Vice President of Transitional Services and Lavert Murray as this is a Unified Government project. The Pathways Transitional Housing program will provide five scattered site apartments along with financial assistance, job readiness and independent living skills for five homeless youth attending high school in the USD 500 school system.
Unified Government of Wyandotte County/KCK - $89,945 - LaVert Murray, Director and Jackie Hampton - This grant will provide intensive individualized case management for chronically homeless individuals who lack the skills, income and other resources needed to obtain and maintain self- sufficiency.
- USD 500/Kansas City, KS Public Schools - $22,660 - Staci Pratt - to implement a program that provides emergency intervention/intensive case management for chronically homeless children/youth and their families. The program will help participants obtain permanent housing while addressing specific needs and issues that have caused them to become homeless.
Johnson County Continuum of Care
- The Salvation Army (Transitional Housing Program) - $60,492 - Lt. Colonel Ted Dalberg and/or Captain Patricia Grindle - to provide rental assistance, case management, transportation, life skills training and referral services to homeless individuals and families in Johnson County, KS.
SAFEHOME, Inc., (Transitional Housing Program) - $56,502 - Sharon Katz, Executive Director - $56,502.00 - to provide housing for victims of domestic violence along with case management and counseling services for children of domestic violence victims.
- Mid-America Assistance Coalition (MAAC) - $18,666 - John Rich, Executive Director - to maintain a homeless management information system that identifies the chronically homeless and homeless services and also tracks participants' progress and success.
Emergency Shelter Grants - The Emergency Shelter funding is used to convert buildings into homeless shelters, assist with operational expenses of local shelters and fund related social services and prevention programs.
- The City of Kansas City, Missouri - Jackie Powell please come forward, and accept the check to the City for $392,460.
- Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas - Lavert Murray, please come forward and accept the check to the Unified Government for $107,693.
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