06.13.06
UNITED WAY OF GREATER KNOXVILLE WORKS TO END CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS

United Way of Greater Knoxville's Board of Directors has awarded its first venture grant totaling $143,385 to a collaborative partnership entitled: "Housing-A First Priority: Services for Homeless Adults in Knox County."

The partnership is composed of three local agencies, the Helen Ross McNabb Center, the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC) and the Volunteer Ministry Center. These agencies will work in partnership over a one-year period to help 50 chronically homeless adults in Knox County obtain permanent housing.

"Funds for United Way's venture grant program were approved by the board in 2005
in order to identify new community projects that will help bring about true lasting change,"
Jan Wade, United Way's Chairman of the Board, said. "United Way is focused on helping people achieve their potential for self-sufficiency, and this venture grant for homeless housing is an excellent first choice for utilizing United Way dollars in a unique way to lead homeless individuals toward becoming self-sufficient."

This joint project will target two populations of homeless adults-those with serious and persistent mental illness and those who require extensive outreach to engage in services. Using the data from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), this new program will provide screening, outreach and case management services for homeless clients to help them obtain housing and move toward achieving a higher level of independence.

The collaborative model used by the three agencies will be catalogued and evaluated in a final report that will pave the way for other agencies to replicate this model in our community and beyond.

United Way's venture grant committee reviewed 32 grant applications for funds before awarding dollars to the three collaborating agencies. Community programs or projects were required to address one or more of United Way's three primary focus areas: 1) health, 2) building independence through education for life and job skills, and 3) service delivery to people living on the edge of poverty in Knox County. Applicants were required to be 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies or institutions that provide programming in health and human services in Knox County.

"Homelessness is an issue of both national and local importance, and this is a wonderful opportunity for United Way to partner with three local agencies to work toward the goal of ending homelessness in Knox County by providing homeless clients with crisis services and basic housing needs," Carey Merz, a member of United Way's venture grant review committee, said.

According to the Knoxville Coalition for the Homeless, on any given night in Knoxville and Knox County, approximately 900 homeless people sleep in emergency shelters, on the street, in cars or in transitional housing. In 2004, Mayors Bill Haslam and Mike Ragsdale convened a task force to develop the "10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness" in Knoxville/Knox County. Housing was identified as the first and most important issue to be addressed. The chronically homeless have been targeted because a chronically homeless person consumes a far greater number of community resources than the rest of the homeless population. These people frequent the emergency rooms, the criminal justice system, the mental health centers and the psychiatric hospitals at an average cost exceeding $40,000 a year per person. For more information on local homeless statistics, visit www.knoxhomeless.org.

United Way of Greater Knoxville is a local, independent organization dedicated to improving lives by building a better community. In partnership with 50 agencies, local business, community leaders and ordinary citizens, United Way tackles issues that matter most. By working together, we provide a safety net of services addressing Knoxville's most basic needs while working toward lasting change.

Return to News and Events.