The City of Wichita’s Housing and Community Services Department has received a homeless service grant of $56,484 from the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. In March, the City applied for $124,120 in grant funds from the Kansas Emergency Shelter Grant statewide allocation.
“Though the amount received was less than the request, the community will benefit from these funds,” Mary K. Vaughn, Director of Housing and Community Services, said. “The funds will be allocated for operations, essential services, and homeless prevention to community agencies and programs such as Catholic Charities Anthony Family Shelter; Inter Faith Ministries; Ti-Wiconi Safe Haven; Salvation Army; YWCA; and United Methodist Open Door.”
The City has historically applied for and received grant funds through the Kansas Emergency Shelter Grant program, which is open to communities throughout the state. Funds received are made available to local agencies. The City also receives a direct allocation of Emergency Shelter Grant funds as an entitlement grant.
The 2008-2009 City Emergency Shelter Grant allocation is $125,779, $61,097 less than the previous year. The state allocation will help make up the difference.
“Our community is faced with the challenge of identifying short and long term solutions to the problem of homelessness, and every resource we can access will help us achieve our goal,” Vaughn said.
Vaughn also participated as a member of the Task Force on Ending Chronic Homelessness, which presented its report to the Sedgwick County Commission and Wichita City Council a few weeks ago. The City and County Managers are preparing follow up strategies to implement the Task Force recommendations.
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