Program helps homeless mother

Amanda Sparks and 5-week-old Jai'lyn Gorman were in the spotlight at a Housing Needs Coordinating Committee meeting Thursday at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

Sparks held her sleeping baby as she told of how she found herself without housing and nine months pregnant.

Sparks called around to see if she could get help and after a few phone calls was promptly assisted by Laura Baugh, Community Caring Council case manager.

Baugh said, "Regardless of the time of year we get requests from five or six individuals needing housing assistance daily."

"It was an unusual situation that funds were available," said Nancy Jernigan, Area Wide United Way executive director. The CCC was made aware of the young mother's situation by First Call For Help and the security deposit and first month's rent on the one-bedroom apartment were provided by Sparks, minister Paul Kabo, Lutheran Family and Children's Services, Crisis Pregnancy Center, Success by 6 and CCC.

Roy Jones, Cape Girardeau Housing coordinator, said the CCC will be receiving a one-year Missouri Housing Trust grant of $40,000 in May. This grant allows a one-time assistance to those meeting criteria.

Denise Wimp, First Call For Help program coordinator, said, "We really need this grant."

Attending the meeting, Missouri Housing Development Commission representative David Bryan said, "This is homeless prevention funding. Emergency assistance in rental deposits saves money helping people in crisis to put them in housing and keep them from transitional housing or homelessness."

Altogether the Missouri Housing Trust Fund receives about $6.25 million per year to meet annual housing needs statewide.

"There are about 19.2 million dollars requested per year for those needs," said Bryan.