News
Release/News Advisory/Request for Coverage – January 5, 2007
Governor’s Committee to End Homelessness seeks to count state’s
homeless; Calls for Missourians’ Assistance
Homeless
advocates and service providers in the state will come together
on January 25, 2007, to complete a comprehensive count of the
homeless in Missouri. Spearheaded by Governor Matt Blunt’s
Committee to End Homelessness, individuals and agencies across
the state will put in countless hours to identify the homeless
Missourians.
“Homelessness affects Missourians of all walks of life, from all
parts of our state,” said Gov. Matt Blunt. “The annual, one day,
targeted count provides the basis to ensure local, state and
federal resources are available to Missouri’s homeless.”
Each year
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development seeks to
identify the sheltered and unsheltered homeless population.
This count serves as the baseline for virtually all the federal
programs assisting homeless families and individuals.
In many
communities across Missouri the homeless are hidden or
invisible. The hidden homeless are often women, children and
families who stay in the homes of friends and family. They also
find short term housing that is established to meet special
needs for the abused, the addicted, the mentally ill, the
physically disabled and youth. The annual count sets a date in
time where agencies and advocates make efforts to locate those
who find shelter in their cars, abandoned buildings, and any
other place that is not easily recognized as a gathering place
for the homeless.
Cities,
charities, churches, concerned individuals and local community
organizations seek to provide housing for needy citizens. The
amount of money Missouri receives in grants and government
assistance is directly influenced by the numbers reported each
year. Missourians’ support in this count will help make life
better for the homeless. Missourians providing shelter for
someone homeless, who know of someone in this situation or who
observe homeless families and individuals in their community
should contact their local social services agencies.
# # #
The
Governor’s Committee to End Homelessness
The
Governor’s Committee to End Homelessness, established in 1988,
provides coordination and program oversight for the Balance of
State Continuum of Care (CoC).The Governor’s Committee
collaborates with Missouri Housing Development Commission, the
Department of Mental Health, the Department of Economic
Development, and many other public and private agencies, to
coordinate the CoC’s annual application to HUD for homelessness
funds. The Governor’s Committee also provides information and
technical assistance to local organizations to help them improve
coordination and expand their networks to more effectively serve
those experiencing homelessness in their communities.
The
Committee membership is multi-disciplinary and
multi-jurisdictional. Members, appointed by the Governor,
represent the Department of Social Services Divisions of Family
Services, Medical Services, Youth Services, Emergency Shelter
Grant and Community Services Block Grant programs; the
Department of Economic Development, including the Missouri
Housing Development Commission; Departments of Corrections,
Mental Health, Elementary and Secondary Education, Head Start
Collaboration Office, Veteran’s Affairs and Health and Senior
Service’s HIV/AIDS programs. Additional representation includes
the Missouri Association for Social Welfare, the Missouri
Association for Community Action, the Missouri Coalition Against
Domestic Violence, the Kansas City and the St. Louis Continuums
of Care.
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MHDC is the
state's housing finance agency. The Commission is dedicated to
strengthening communities and the lives of Missourians through
the financing, development and preservation of affordable
housing. Since 1969, MHDC has encouraged and assisted in the
production of affordable rental housing and provided
homeownership opportunities for thousands of families while
investing almost $4 billion in Missouri housing for rental
housing developments, home mortgages, home improvement loans,
loans to landlords for renovations, grants to neighborhood
housing groups and other programs. MHDC does not build or
renovate housing itself; rather, it functions as a bank,
providing financing directly to borrowers or through a network
of private lending institutions. Most of MHDC's programs operate
as a public-private partnership.
