Memphis, Tenn. (June 15, 2020) –The Tennessee Housing Development Agency has awarded a $50,000COVID-19 Supplemental Funding to Continuums of Care Grant to the Community Alliance for the Homeless to assist with housing vulnerable Shelby County citizens.
The Community Alliance plans to use the grant to specifically address providing meals, shelter and other community resources for homeless families in the area.
“It’s essential that everyone comes together to help one another during these times and make life a bit easier for each other,” said THDA Executive Director Ralph Perrey. “THDA is happily
committed to providing assistance that hopefully will free Tennessean’s minds from one less problem.”
Chere Bradshaw, Executive Director for the Community Alliance for the Homeless, said her organization supports shelter to help individuals who cannot properly socially distance.
Thus far, the grant has helped the Community Alliance provide shelter for 80 individuals, averaging 12 a week, Bradshaw said.
“It’s impossible to follow our community’s Safer at Home order if you have no home. If we didn’t have THDA’s assistance, we wouldn’t be able to continue helping these families,” Bradshaw said. “It’s simple; children and families should not be left on the street, which is a priority in Memphis, especially during this time. The grant will help continue to keep the program going for at least the next three months.”
Community Alliance for the Homeless leads effective community practices to end homelessness in Memphis and Shelby County by providing planning, technical assistance, and service coordination to public and private agencies in the area who are working towards the same initiative.
The Alliance is responsible for submitting the collaborative application for nearly $7 million annually in Continuum of Care funding for agencies in Memphis and Shelby County. It is responsible for providing oversight and coordinating services between these agencies.
“It’s the role of Community Alliance to coordinate the various services provided by the homeless service providers,” Bradshaw said. “Not all organizations do the same thing. You must have someone to help bring the pieces together to ensure no one falls through the cracks.”
THDA’s Covid-19 Supplemental CoC Grant is awarded to nonprofits, public housing authorities and local governments to support a CoC-wide response to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus within the homeless community.