Groups use federal grants to prevent homelessness

Local social welfare groups are using federal grant funding to offer housing assistance to the homeless and people on the verge of homelessness.

Cape Girardeau County and the city of Cape Girardeau work together annually on the application for and administration of Emergency Solution Grant Program funds.

The Missouri Department of Social Services administers the Emergency Solutions Grant in partnership with the Missouri Housing Development Commission, Office of Community Initiatives. The grant provides funding to cities, counties and not-for-profit agencies to address issues of homelessness and homelessness prevention through case management and temporary assistance.

Recently, the four local groups that have received funds have visited the county commissioners and city council members to share stories of the assistance provided with money from last year's grant and what they plan to do with the 2015 grant. The four sub-grantees are Safe House for Women, the Salvation Army of Cape Girardeau, Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri and Community Caring Council.

The total cost of the grant received this year was $139,781.11. Each recipient also puts up matches to the funding received, and the city and county help pay for administration costs.

Tina Rodgers of the Salvation Army said her organization plans to continue street outreach efforts with the $7,000 it received from the grant. It received less money last year but still was able to provide 11 people with bus tickets to help them get to permanent housing, 10 people with shelter -- including transportation costs to get there -- and six people with clothing, food and personal hygiene products.

Street outreach is meant to help people living in places that are not sheltered and "not meant for human habitation," Rodgers said.

She shared a few success stories in which the Salvation Army was able to get people out of these situations. One woman who was sleeping outside a hotel was given a bus ticket to return home to her mother in Arkansas.

"She was just dumped there [at the hotel] by someone else, had no money, and someone just happened to see her and brought her in to us," Rodgers said. "We called her mom who lived in Arkansas and said, 'Is it OK? Can she come home?' And Mom was just so happy. She said, 'Sure,' because she hadn't seen her daughter in a long, long time."

Last year, Rodgers said, the Salvation Army also was able to help a man who recently had been released from prison and was sleeping under a trampoline. He was provided with clothing, food and other personal necessities and placed in a shelter.

He had a job within two days and his own apartment within two weeks, Rodgers said.

Safe House for Women is receiving $36,181, which representatives said will go toward needs such as maintenance, food, security and transportation. The money helps them continue work paid for by last year's grant by covering utilities and maintenance projects, placing women into shelters and offering transportation to work, school or appointments.

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri has $46,400 to continue its homelessness-prevention program. The program focuses on renters who are at risk of eviction, case manager Brenda Miller explained.

Last year, 12 households -- about 28 individuals -- received assistance.

The group can offer temporary financial assistance with utilities and overdue rent to income-eligible people, Miller said, but more importantly, it offers case management.

"They have to cooperate with us and meet with us on at least a monthly basis," she said. "Most of the time, it's more often than that to get them connected to other resources and get them stabilized."

It may not sound like many households were assisted, Miller added, but she said it's important to keep in mind the assistance is given long-term to help each household become self-sustaining. This year, the plan is to assist 10 to 15 families.

Community Caring Council also received $46,400 for its rapid rehousing program.

Tom Davisson, executive director, said last year, the council served seven families -- about 23 people -- with permanent housing assistance. This year, it plans to serve about 12 families by combining revenue from other sources.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

Cape Girardeau, Mo.