Place 4 Hope Reaches 1,000 Client Contacts
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
Open for only six months, A Place 4 Hope, a resource center for those who find themselves homeless, has made 1,000 client contacts, according to David Blackwell, chair of the Albany-Dougherty Coalition to End Homelessness. The center provides showers, laundry facilities, phone and Internet access as well as job training to help individuals and families move into stable housing conditions.
“The Salvation Army agreed to take in A Place 4 Hope as one of their programs, which gave it instant credibility in the community,” Blackwell said.
With only one paid staff member, A Place 4 Hope succeeds thanks to the contributions of nonprofit organizations, social service providers and volunteers. The center is open from 8 to 12 on Monday through Friday. Complete resource assistance is available two days each week. The center itself is located at 206 S. Monroe Street in downtown Albany in a building owned by The Church of the Nazarene.
A Mission to End Homelessness
The Albany-Dougherty Coalition to End Homelessness was formed in 1977 as the Task Force on Homelessness. Its members include nonprofit organizations, social service providers and business leaders who provide insights to local leaders on the needs of the homeless.
“With the recession, many more people are at risk for being homeless. Some have moved in with family and others are one paycheck away from losing their homes,” Blackwell said.
The Coalition identified the need for a day resource center to help people manage the challenges of being homeless. A planning task force of nine members then worked for 19 months planning the center’s launch.
The Coalition receives no funding from the city except for funds awarded to the city by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Those funds are used to hold summits or resource fairs.
Developing a 10-Year Plan
Coalition members are currently working with city staff to develop a 10-year plan to eliminate or reduce the incidence of homelessness. As part of the planning process, the Coalition is attempting to quantify the number of homeless and the cost to the community of the homeless population.
“The plan is required by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to show that the city is making an effort to address homelessness,” Blackwell said.
More participation from citizens, organizations and businesses is needed. Monthly meetings are held on the fourth Monday of each month at noon in the Arthur Kay Williams Microbusiness Center located at 230 S. Jackson St.
More information on the Albany-Dougherty Coalition to End Homelessness is available at www.albany.ga.us. More information on A Place 4 Hope is available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/APlace4Hope.
