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Publix Giving Tree Provides Christmas Gifts for Children
Lake City Publix employees and customers provided gifts for children served by three local community agencies. Publix coordinated the effort through the United Way of Suwannee Valley to identify children served by Another Way, Children’s Home Society and Guardian ad Litem and to provide Christmas gifts for the children identified by the agencies. Pictured with the Publix “Giving Tree” are Sarah Fulkner; Sha Musgrove; Larry Rossignol, store manager; and Erica Harriss.
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For Immediate Release: December 22, 2011
Contact: Rita Dopp, Executive Director, United Way of Suwannee Valley, 386-752-5604
United Way of Suwannee Valley Awarded HUD Grant Renewal
U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced Tuesday, December 20, the award of funding to keep local homeless assistance programs offering critically needed housing and services to homeless persons and families in the coming year. United Way of Suwannee Valley’s application for HUD renewal funding was among those included in the announcement. United Way of Suwannee Valley annually generates and submits the application as the lead agency for the Homeless Services Network of Suwannee Valley, the federally and state recognized homeless coalition serving the local United Way’s service area of Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette and Suwannee counties.
The application submitted by the local United Way in the 2011 McKinney-Vento homeless assistance competition garnered renewal funding for two projects initiated through the local United Way’s original 2004 HUD homeless assistance application. The two projects receiving renewal funding include United Way of Suwannee Valley’s implementation of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Volunteers of America of Florida’s scattered-site supported housing units.
United Way of Suwannee Valley received a one-year renewal of $32,146 to maintain an HMIS system. “HMIS is a HUD-mandated web-based system which collects data for aggregate reporting and prevents duplication of services from multiple agencies,” explained Jenn Sawyer, United Way of Suwannee Valley HMIS coordinator. Jennifer Lee, United Way of Suwannee Valley Homeless Coordinator, stated the system provides an additional benefit beyond data collection. “The system allows homeless service providers who are participants in the homeless coalition to enter client data to provide for community coordinated case management,” she explained.
While HUD requires local homeless coalitions to maintain a homeless information management system for homeless service providers to receive grant funds, the local United Way minimized expenses associated with this requirement, so funds would be available to provide services. “Recognizing the very small amount of funds available to our four-county homeless coalition catchment area, when we implemented the system locally, our United Way coordinated with United Way of Northeast Florida to participate in the Northeast Florida Information Network HMIS system,” explained Rita Dopp, executive director of United Way of Suwannee Valley. United Way sought to meet the HUD requirements in the most cost efficient manner possible. By engaging in a system utilized by multiple local homeless coalitions, each is able to benefit from the economies of scale and minimize the costs of the HMIS implementation to utilize remaining HUD funds for direct client services.
United Way of Suwannee Valley’s HUD application included a Volunteers of America of Florida project which received a one-year renewal of $125,789 for scattered-site supported housing for chronically homeless individuals, predominantly veterans. The grant provides for eleven units.
The grants announced are being awarded through HUD’s Continuum of Care programs. HUD is quickly providing renewal grants to local programs to prevent any interruption in federal assistance and will announce funding relative to new project applications early in 2012. United Way of Suwannee Valley included in its HUD application two new projects submitted by Another Way.
“Our local United Way continues to focus on unmet community needs and opportunities to address these needs,” said Dopp. “Only as a result of a successful Homeless Management Information System implementation are homeless assistance agencies eligible to apply for state or federal grants to assist those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Mike McKee, president of the United Way of Suwannee Valley Board of Directors, noted the local United Way is somewhat unique in the amount of grant funds secured for the benefit of community agency services. “These grant funds enable our United Way to expand community resources in support of targeted community impact areas. While it may not be uncommon for a local United Way to seek grant funds, the amount of grant funds leveraged by our United Way in comparison to its community fundraising campaign is unusual. Our board of directors is very proud of these accomplishments.”
United Way of Suwannee Valley is a community impact and fundraising organization which, utilizing volunteers on all levels, advances the common good by identifying unmet community needs and seeking to alleviate those needs through United Way of Suwannee Valley initiatives and the funding of 22 affiliated health and human service agencies.
United Way of Suwannee Valley serves as the lead agency for the Homeless Services Network of Suwannee Valley, which serves the counties of Columbia, Suwannee, Lafayette and Hamilton. The network includes agencies and individuals interested in the services available to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Those interested in participating in the local homeless coalition are invited to attend the monthly meetings conducted at the Columbia County Public Library West Branch at 4 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. The location of the meetings at the Library’s West Branch is intended to facilitate the participation by those throughout the coalition’s service area.
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For Immediate Release: November 10, 2011
Contact: Rita Dopp, Executive Director, United Way of Suwannee Valley, 386-752-5604
United Way of Suwannee Valley Awarded Department of Children and Families
Grant for Homeless Services Network of Suwannee Valley Projects
The Department of Children and Families announced United Way of Suwannee Valley has been awarded a homeless service Challenge Grant. The local United Way submitted the grant application as the lead agency for the Homeless Services Network of Suwannee Valley. The application was funded for $63,397 and will support five coalition agency projects.
These grant dollars will provide Another Way’s Lake City shelter $18,948 for the purchase of shelter food and supplies and for transportation costs including vehicle repairs, maintenance and operation; emergency transportation needs and employment costs for the advocates providing transportation services for the agency’s participants.
Catholic Charities will receive $18,949 for the agency’s A Hand Up Center which provides short-term emergency shelter, showers, laundry, hygiene products, mail delivery, telephone and fax, food to be utilized in a camp or motel setting, can openers, paper and plastic products and Florida identification cards and/or birth certificates to secure day labor and potential other employment. These grant funds additionally provide for items such as sleeping bags, tents, rain ponchos, bug spray and sun screen for homeless clients. When the client has a job or family member in another city which can be verified, the agency provides relocation assistance through the provision of bus tickets. While receiving services through Catholic Charities’ A Hand Up program, clients are provided referrals to mainstream services, and case management services are provided as needed.
The local United Way will utilize $15,000 of the grant for the coalition’s Homeless Management Information System providing community coordinated case management, the annual homeless point-in-time survey and coalition coordination expenses. “The homeless management information system is required by HUD and provides a system for all agencies serving those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to coordinate their services and reinforce the client’s case management plan,” said United Way of Suwannee Valley Homeless Coordinator Jennifer Lee. “The annual HUD-required homeless point-in-time survey enables our coalition not only to collect information on those who are experiencing homelessness but also to conduct outreach to help these clients access services.”
Vivid Visions requested $4,500 to provide shelter and retain a part-time children’s advocate at the domestic violence center’s emergency shelter.
CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services will be sub granted $6,000 to build a privacy fence to better separate the shelter from the adjoining residential neighborhood and fence the retention pond adjacent to the shelter. These activities would enhance the safety and comfort level of participants engaged in outside activities. Homeless, runaway and other troubled youth will receive short-term residential shelter care to address and meet their needs for safety and well-being. Youth will receive intake and assessment services, case management and counseling with the goal of successfully reunifying them with their families or another appropriate placement where they will be safe and able to work toward self-sufficiency.
United Way of Suwannee Valley Board President Mike McKee expressed his pride regarding United Way of Suwannee Valley’s repeated receipt of the Challenge Grant. “Our local United Way established three community impact areas, ensuring our children’s future; furnishing food, shelter and safety; and promoting independence and wellness. While the annual community fundraising campaign proceeds are critical, our local United Way’s Board of Directors has long recognized the limitations on the resources which can be raised through our annual community fundraising campaign and the grant funds available to be accessed to further our community impact initiatives. Our board of directors is pleased with our United Way’s ability to support our community with any funds secured.”
United Way of Suwannee Valley serves as the lead agency for the Homeless Services Network of Suwannee Valley, which serves the counties of Columbia, Suwannee, Lafayette, and Hamilton. The network includes agencies and individuals interested in the services available to those who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. United Way of Suwannee Valley is a community impact and fundraising organization which, utilizing volunteers on all levels, advances the common good by identifying unmet community needs and seeking to alleviate those needs through United Way of Suwannee Valley initiatives and the funding of 22 affiliated health and human service agencies.
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