Community organizations to share $250,000 grant aimed at combating homelessness
The Butler County Department of Human Services, along with four local agencies, learned recently they would receive $250,000 as part of an Emergency Solutions Grant from Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development.
In total, the DCED awarded more than $6.3 million to organizations across the state, which will help homeless individuals and families find a place to live.
According to Butler County homeless services director Amanda Feltenberger, this is a grant the county has successfully applied for every year since 2013.
“We've been successful every year in getting a grant, which is really great because it is incredibly competitive,” Feltenberger said. “They get a lot more applications than the funding that they have available, so we're always very happy to get that letter.”
This year, Butler County’s board of commissioners applied on behalf of four community organizations: the Center for Community Resources, Catholic Charities, Glade Run Lutheran Services, and the CARE Center.
“It’s ongoing funding to continue to provide services for the homeless,” said county Commissioner Leslie Osche. “It’s always a challenge. We are fortunate in our county and our community that we have the resources that we do.”
The county applied for a grant of $550,000 this year.
“When we submit an application for the ESG, we never get what we ask for because there’s never that much funding,” Feltenberger said. “We always make a big ask, and then we know we’re going to get a little less than that.”
Feltenberger said many of details around this year’s grant are unknown, including how the money will be split among the four community organizations or for what exactly the money can be used.
The county applied for funding to be used for three functions: rapid rehousing, homelessness prevention, and emergency shelter. The last function would be filled by Glade Run Lutheran Services’ emergency warming shelters.
Since they received less money than they applied for, there is a chance they may not be able to fund all three of those categories.
“We had asked for money in a variety of categories, so we don't know how much money is in each of those categories,” Feltenberger said. “Within the next two weeks we should get an email with the specifics.”
If the Center for Community Resources remains funded, they intend to use their cut of the grant to maintain a staff that can support those who recently have been evicted. According to CCR executive director Beth Gillan, this is the first time the organization has been a partner with Butler in the grant.
“Homelessness is not something we can see with the naked eye,” Gillan said. “We are building trust constantly to see what the situation is and how we can help.”
Glade Run operates an emergency warming shelter, which is now in its second year of operation, at the Grace Community Wellness Center on East Diamond Street. According to Sheila Talarico, vice president of development and external affairs at Glade Run, the shelter has attracted more people this year.
“It’s heavily utilized this year,” Talarico said. “We are close to capacity every night. Clearly there’s an enormous need.”
The shelter opened for this season in late October and will stay open until the end of March.
