to: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
from: J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director
Jamie Rohe, Senior Planner
Kenneth C. Pennoyer, Director of Business Management
subject: Acceptance of Triangle United Way Grant to Implement Project Homeless Connect Orange County
date: September 8, 2008
The purpose of this report is to inform the Council about a grant from the Triangle United Way to implement the second Project Homeless Connect Orange County event on September 25, 2008.
The attached resolution and budget ordinance would authorize the acceptance of the grant for $5,000.
On January 24, 2005, the Council adopted a resolution to support the establishment of the Partnership to End Homelessness in Orange County. The Partnership was developed to design and implement a Ten-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness in Orange County. Membership includes Chapel Hill, Orange County, Carrboro, Hillsborough, Triangle United Way, the Inter-Faith Council, Orange Congregations in Mission, OPC Area Program, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce.
On May 7, 2007, the Council adopted a resolution that endorsed the Ten-Year Plan to Chronic End Homelessness in Orange County. The resolution also appointed Council Member Greene to serve as the Council’s representative to the Executive Team that would be responsible for oversight of the implementation of the Plan.
On June 11, 2007, the Council adopted a resolution to accept a grant from the Triangle United Way for $3,500 to implement the first Project Homeless Connect Orange County. The first Project Homeless Connect Orange County was held on October 25, 2007 at the Hargraves Community Center with the Town as the lead organizer for the event. One hundred thirty-three guests were served, over 40 agencies provided services, hundreds of volunteers participated, and more than 40 groups and businesses donated clothing, food, personal care items, and other gifts for the guests.
Project Homeless Connect (PHC) integrates lessons learned from one-stop service centers that provided community support for Hurricane Katrina evacuees seeking stabilization services in communities across the country. Similar one-day efforts of the Veterans Administration’s Homeless Stand Downs also offered lessons that have made PHC a nationally identified best practice in helping the homeless.
PHC is a one-day, one-stop center that links people experiencing--or at risk of experiencing--homelessness with a broad range of needed services such as housing, employment, health and dental care, mental health care, legal services, etc. PHC provides unique opportunities for community volunteers and donors to be directly involved in helping individuals and families make significant steps towards ending their homelessness. PHC also builds partnerships and collaboration among social service agencies.
On August 6, 2008, the Town received a Memorandum of Agreement from the Triangle United Way granting $5,000 to the Town to implement the second Project Homeless Connect Orange County on September 25, 2008. The Housing and Neighborhood Services staff of the Planning Department will coordinate PHC Steering and Planning Committees that would include local government staff, service and housing providers, volunteers, and others.
That the Council adopt the attached resolution and enact the budget ordinance to accept the $5,000 grant award.