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Lifeboat Alliance. Helping the Homeless Weather Life’s Storms. Homeless Challenge in Jefferson County. Homeless: People who do not own or rent a dwelling. Crowded into substandard housing with relatives/friends. Others in hotels, cars, campers, tents, cemeteries, or overpasses.
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Lifeboat Alliance Helping the Homeless Weather Life’s Storms
Homeless Challenge in Jefferson County • Homeless: People who do not own or rent a dwelling. • Crowded into substandard housing with relatives/friends. • Others in hotels, cars, campers, tents, cemeteries, or overpasses. • Currently, Mt. Vernon City Schools has 334 homeless students enrolled • Churches are expending benevolence funds for temporary relief on hotels, rent, utilities, food, etc. • Jefferson County Housing Authority reports subsidized housing shortage • Waiting list can be anywhere between 2 days and 6 months. • 56 applicants currently on the waiting list • 59% “extremely low” income (<$11,400 income) • 41% “very low” income (<$19,000 income) • Most with 2-3 children and working; many are elderly • Many are just beyond the income levels eligible • Section 8 housing vouchers have 3-4 year waiting period
Current Homeless Solutions • Rescue Mission • Limited space and difficulty in placement • Hope in Christ Ministries • Limited space and difficulty in placement • Local Hotels • Plenty of space and easy to place • Expensive and lacking in transformation
History • Jefferson County Ministerial Association task force to address homelessness (2008) • Grassroots gathering of local businesspeople and church leaders to address homelessness (2009-present) • Creation of 501(c)3 “Lifeboat Alliance” (2010) • Researched and contacted other homeless shelters in Illinois (2009-present) • Relationship with Lighthouse Shelter in Marion as a model program (2010-present)
Habitat for Humanity Initiative • Partnering with Lifeboat Alliance to acquire and renovate the abandoned Mt. Vernon Care nursing home facility (Jefferson Avenue) • Handling fundraising and labor for renovations • Not involved with operational costs or management of the homeless shelter • Will be Habitat’s largest volunteer project to date and will likely be Mt. Vernon’s largest service project for 2011
Lifeboat Alliance Plans • Our priority will be serving homeless clients seeking sustained life transformation • Currently building an alliance of churches, schools, agencies, businesses, service organizations, and individuals to support and operate this facility • Developing final policies and procedures • Identifying funding sources and volunteers • Planning to hire and manage staff • Planning to provide case management for sustained life transformation by connecting needs to resources
Community-Wide Involvement • First Community Planning Meeting to Discuss Possible Homeless Solutions and Next Steps (June 17, 2010) • Meeting with Business Neighbors (October 19, 2010) • Second Community Planning Meeting to Discuss Policies and Procedures (October 21, 2010) • Door-To-Door Flyer Distribution to all Neighbors Answering Questions and Informing Them of Third Community Planning Meeting (November 13, 2010) • Third Community Planning Meeting to Discuss Location and Organizational Roles (November 16, 2010)
Community-Wide Commitment • Organizations already formally committed to the project • Central Christian, St. Mary’s Catholic, Logan Street Baptist, First Presbyterian, & Southwest Christian Churches • Mount Vernon City Schools, District 80 • United Way, Catholic Social Services, Youth Build, & Habitat for Humanity • Donoheaven Foundation • Many other organizations and individuals have made informal commitments toward the project
Community Contributions • Advisory Contributions • Policies, Procedures, Public Relations, Fundraising • Financial Contributions Projected • Local churches - $61,000 • Local businesses - $29,000 • Agencies & Organizations - $23,000 • Foundations & Grants - $50,000 • Individuals - $37,000 • Additional money through fundraising • Volunteer Contributions • Receptionists, Food Services, Maintenance
Need for United Community Effort • No one group can afford this • Operational costs will be $199,700 • Staff - $113,900 • Operations - $31,500 • Utilities - $17,500 • Capital - $15,800 • Contingency - $21,000 • No one group can staff this • Staff: Executive Director, Case Manager, Security, Custodian • Volunteers: Reception, Meals, Other Support • No one group can sustain this • Ongoing commitment of time and resources for sustained life transformation of clients
Please contact the following with additional questions: Rob Dyer, revrob@charter.net Dr. Tyler Brown, tbrown@mtv80.org Richard Straeter, richard.straeter@crii.us