Tag: New Hope for Families

New housing plan for Bloomington’s ‘street homeless’ adds case managers, effort to stem inflow

At the mic is Mary Morgan (Heading Home of South Central Indiana). Seated at the dais are: Tatiana Wheeler (Heading Home of South Central Indiana), Carrie Stillions (Middle Way House), Emily Pike (New Hope for Families and Chair, South Central Housing Network), Dana Jones (Wheeler Mission), Melissa Burgess (HealthNet Homeless Initiative Program), Kerry Thomson (mayor of Bloomington), Forrest Gilmore (Beacon, Inc.) (Aug. 6, 2024)
Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson (Aug. 6, 2024)
North-south road next to the Rail Trail looking northeast. (Aug. 6, 2024)

On  Tuesday, a new housing action plan was unveiled at a press conference at Bloomington’s city hall.

The press conference was held by Heading Home of South Central Indiana, Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson, and heads of a half dozen nonprofits that provide services to homeless people.

The plan focuses on the “street homeless” (aka the “unsheltered homeless”), as contrasted with those who are currently staying in a shelter, but don’t have a permanent place to live (aka the “sheltered homeless”).

Elements of the plan include: coordinated outreach; more money for case managers; increased efforts to prevent homelessness in the first place; an increase in the number housing units with rents under $500/month;  and an effort to reduce the inflow of homeless people from outside the area that includes Monroe County and the counties next door to Monroe.

Continue reading “New housing plan for Bloomington’s ‘street homeless’ adds case managers, effort to stem inflow” →

$856K in federal funds allocated by Bloomington city council

At its Wednesday meeting, Bloomington’s city council approved an annual resolution that authorizes allocations from the Community Development Block Grant program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

This year, the total estimated grant amount is $855,868, with $556,314 going to physical improvements $128,320 going to social services and $171,173 going to administrative costs.

The city works with estimates based on the previous year’s actual funding through the CDBG program.

HUD sets percentage maximums for social services (15 percent) and administration (20 percent). The amounts this year reflect Bloomington’s typical practice, which is to max out both of those categories.
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Split vote this year on all Monroe County social services grant awards

Facing the councilors are from left: Hattie Johnson and Jean Capler. Councilor Cheryl Munson is seated across the corner from Capler.

Community service grants to 38 organizations totaling $160,830 were approved by Monroe County councilors at their Tuesday evening work session.

The community service grants, which have been made annually since 2008, are named after a former county councilor, the late Sophia Travis.

In past years, councilor Marty Hawk has voted against the awards to organizations that have any connection to the provision of abortion services. This year she voted against all of the awards, citing the pressing needs of county employees for higher compensation. Continue reading “Split vote this year on all Monroe County social services grant awards” →

After sifting requests, Bloomington social services group faces $681K in needs, has just $323K to give

On Thursday night, representatives from 35 different social services agencies in Bloomington gave presentations to a committee that is made up of councilmembers and other residents, to support their applications for project funding.

Jack Hopkins committee members from left: Tim Mayer, Jim Sims, Susan Sandberg, and Ron Smith. Not in the frame are Kate Rosenbarger and Jami Scholl. (April 27, 2023)

The 35 agencies had applied for this year’s round of Jack Hopkins social services grants.

The total amount requested by those 35 agencies is $680,530. The amount that’s appropriated in Bloomington’s 2023 budget for Jack Hopkins grants is just $323,000.

But this year’s grant cycle started off with an even bigger challenge—48 agencies had applied for a total of about $965,000. Before Thursday’s meeting, the committee had already winnowed down the 48 applications to 35.

The total requested this year is the biggest amount since the Jack Hopkins grant program was started, in 1993.

Based on B Square records, the previous high was $822,971 in 2020. Over the last decade the amount of total requests has been about $550,000. Each year the annual budget allocation, from the city’s general fund, has been around $300,000. Continue reading “After sifting requests, Bloomington social services group faces $681K in needs, has just $323K to give” →

Photos: New Hope for Families celebrates 10 years

New Hope for Families executive director and 10-year celebration committee member Chris Cockerham.

On Friday evening, the grassy field at 4th and Washington streets in downtown Bloomington played host to a 10-year anniversary celebration.

The non-profit New Hope for Families threw itself and the rest of Bloomington a party—free hamburgers and hotdogs, treats from Chocolate Moose, a car show, tethered hot-air balloon rides from TJV Balloons, and live music.

Leading off the music was King Bee and the Stingers. Their set of original blues numbers was belted out by lead singer Sarah Menefee.  Hank Ruff and the Hellbenders followed up with a mix of country rock covers and originals.

Donations to New Hope for Families to support its work providing a place for families experiencing homelessness can be made through the nonprofit’s website.

Wrapping up the evening with a thank-you message was Emily Pike, executive director at New Hope for Families:

Thank you to all of our volunteers who planned the event and help make it happen. Thank you to all the staff. And you know, I said it earlier, but I’ll say it again. Ten years ago, a family who became homeless in this community had nowhere to go. That’s not true any longer. And we don’t ever want it to be true again. We’re so proud to be a part of this community that says no family, no child should ever sleep outside, live in a car or be separated from their loved ones in order to have the things that they need. Thank you for being a part of this community. Thank you for 10 years of New Hope for families. Here’s to the next 10 Here’s to the next 20. Have a great night. Thank you so much.

More photos after the jump. Continue reading “Photos: New Hope for Families celebrates 10 years” →