Nearly $1 Million Awarded to Help Alleviate Homelessness in Greater Hartford

Nearly $1 million in grants have been awarded by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to support the work of four agencies aiding hundreds of homeless individuals and families in Greater Hartford.

Grants were awarded to the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness($260,000), The Salvation Army of Greater Hartford ($321,000), My Sisters’ Place ($220,000) and Immaculate Conception Shelter and Housing Corporation ($174,000).

“The $975,000 in grants support both short-term and long-term strategies to address homelessness,” said Judy Rozie-Battle, vice president for programs at the Hartford Foundation. “In the short term, we are funding a variety of services designed to provide immediate shelter and help individuals and families keep current housing. In the long term, we are helping people to secure new housing, find jobs, and/or access other critical services for themselves and their children.”

The funding to the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness includes support for its 2014 Point in Time Count conducted in shelters and on the streets on one night in late January. The 2013 count found 4,506 homeless in the state, including 865 in Hartford, an increase of 7 percent from 2012. The count included 475 families.

A weak economy continues to aggravate attempts to reduce and eliminate homelessness, said Sharon O’Meara, director of workforce development at the Hartford Foundation.

“Even if one has a job, it is extremely difficult to find housing that is affordable,” said O’Meara. “The majority of low-income families pay over one-half of their income in housing costs, far above the recommended guideline of one-third. The linkages between unemployment, underemployment, job losses and lack of affordable housing are clear.”

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for the 29-town Greater Hartford region, dedicated to improving the quality of life for area residents. It receives gifts from thousands of generous individuals, families, and organizations and awards grants to a broad range of area nonprofit organizations. For more information, go to www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.