October 27th, 2011 Meeting Minutes
Notes from Home Team Meeting – October 27, 2011
For an electronic version, please contact unity@uflc.net
First Presbyterian Church – 9th & Washington, Michigan City
Convened by Unity Foundation and Duneland Health Council
In Attendance: George R. Watkins, American Legion Post – La Porte County Veterans; Ed Merrion, Catholic Charities & Men’s Emergency Shelter; Mary Ann Richards, City of La Porte – CDBG Program; Tia Miller, Dunebrook; Norm Steider, Duneland Health Council; Ellen Block, Ellen Block Communications; Pastor Erika Parkison Kilbourn, First Presbyterian Church; Gwen Wilson and Sr. M. Marcene, Franciscan Alliance – St. Anthony; Debbie Coble, Goodwill; Amanda Gano, Housing Opportunities; Caroline Shook, Housing Opportunities; W. Everett Shattuck, La Porte Ministerial Association; Micki Webb, LaPorte County Drug Free Partnership & McKinney-Vento Social Worker; Kent Davis, Michigan City Area Schools; Joyce Dalton, Open Door Health Center; Debbie Bonds, Sand Castle Shelter; Carol Wright, St. John’s UCC; Gerry Jones, Stepping Stone Shelter; Tanya Williams, Stepping Stone Shelter; Tom DeHorn, Swanson Center; Sue Korte Regetz and Maggi Spartz, Unity Foundation; and, Bob Farmer, Webb House
Facilitating: Maggi Spartz, Unity Foundation
Opening: Maggi Spartz opened the meeting at 8:35 AM and welcomed those in attendance.
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PROGRESS REPORTS & ISSUES
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Project
**Highlights of Amanda Gano’s and Caroline Shook’s report and responses to questions:
- The project will provide housing for people with a diagnosed disability and are currently homeless.
- Rent is set at 30% of income.
- Currently, 12 families are housed, and 19 other units are undergoing rehab.
- The Michigan City office phone number is 219.814.4687, and the coordinator’s name is Kim. If no one is in the office here, the phone will be answered in Valpo.
- People are not eligible if they have been convicted of a crime involving a weapon or are a sex offender. The criminal history policies were established by Housing Opportunities because children reside in some of the properties and to ensure the safety of staff and other tenants.
Discussion followed about whether men from the emergency shelter will be eligible. Amanda will follow-up with Ed Merrion about the issue.
Norm commented that the men’s emergency shelter is still having trouble recruiting volunteers. According to Ed, volunteers are badly needed for four-hour shifts, particularly coordinator positions. The ideal volunteer is a retired man in his 60s because he can spend the night more easily.
Discussion followed. A perception exists that permanent supportive housing will replace the need for emergency shelters. That isn’t the case. There will always be a need for emergency shelters. Clients can’t get into permanent supportive housing as quickly as they can access a shelter. Some clients won’t meet the criteria for permanent supportive housing.
According to Caroline, at this point, no funding is currently available from HUD for permanent supportive housing or emergency shelters. The only HUD funding available is for Shelter Plus Care, which typically goes to community mental health centers.
Tanya suggested using United Way’s volunteer database to promote the need for volunteers. Maggi reminded the group that United Way was working on converting that to the 211 system, and we would convey to them the need for the service.
Discussion followed on 211 and the need to keep our own agencies’ information updated. Updating the info can easily be accomplished through a live online chat, by calling 211, or by directly updating the info online.
Homeward Bound Walk
**Highlights of Gerry Jones’ report:
- The Walk was held on September 26, which was a beautiful day.
- 50 people walked.
- Gift baskets donated by American Licorice and Captain Ed’s were awarded.
- Each agency raised approximately $1,000.
- The committee met recently to debrief and came up with many ideas for next year.
The discussion then turned to whether or not the Walk is worth the time and effort, and the need to market it more to the general public and runners/walkers. Next year, there will also be more of an emphasis on using social media for marketing.
IHCDA Triage Project
**Sue Korte Regetz, Caroline Shook and Mary Ann Richards reported.
The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) has been convening regions around the topic of developing a triage approach to addressing homelessness in each region. Until recently, we had been meeting with representatives of about 3 regions. IHCDA staff let us know our discussions were much more sophisticated than what they were hearing around the state. Much of what we discussed was somewhat of a re-hash of what we have already discussed here in the county. What we learned is that other regions don’t even know how to begin to set up a coalition like the Home Team, so we’re at least seven years ahead of many areas. (Yay!)
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, NEEDS & RESOURCES
Tom Isakson, Citizens Concerned for the Homeless
Judy Hanish is retiring so they are looking for a part time administrator for Grace Learning Center. The preferred candidate will have experience in grant writing, adult education, coordination, etc. Their open house will be held September 12th from 4-6pm – everyone will receive invitations
Micki Webb, LaPorte County Drug Free Partnership:
- The Partnership is submitting its plan to the state. The state is limiting the number of priorities they can list. The report is data driven, and primarily by law enforcement data. Maximum funding available is probably $30,000.
- LaPorte Hospital & St. Anthony’s behavioral health units are focused on mental health and stress issues – not detox. Porter-Starke has a detox unit.
- The Partnership is also looking at newer drug problems in the community – bath salts and “Lazy Cakes” (looks like a Little Debbie Cake but with a pothead on wrapper). People have also been found snorting plant/flower life extenders. Micki will provide an educational session for the Home Team on these new drugs.
- The Drug Free Partnership meets the first Wednesday of each month at noon, alternating between Michigan City (Marquette Mall Community Room) and LaPorte (1st Methodist Church).
- Michigan City Area Schools’ McKinney Vento Grant Update: They were supposed to know July 15, but have yet to hear. There was a major shakeup in the Department of Education, and the homeless advocate is gone. They hope to know more in a couple of weeks
Lenda Wilson, Michigan City Housing:
1) NSP Home – An open house was held yesterday (7/27). They will be closing on 2 homes soon. 3 homes are done with 2 more to go. 2) The GED program is going well. They have seen 170 graduates from LaPorte County. 3) Wexford is expanding and will have 8 more units for the elderly. They are breaking ground now, so they should be available in the spring or summer.
Joyce Dalton, Open Door Health Center:
They have seen an increase in female ex-offenders from the Bradley Center seeking all kinds of help – 9 just this week!
Bobbi Petru, Red Cross:
They are seeing an increase in requests for transportation out of the area. People come here seeking work and then want to go home – seeing 3 or 4 a week
Rev. Everett Shattuck, LaPorte Ministerial Association:
He recommends everyone read the book Bridges out of Poverty.
Note:
The United Way of Porter County is hosting a Bridges Out of Poverty all-day workshop on October 6 in Valpo. The cost is $35 per person, and the presenter is Jodi Pfarr, who taught the all-day sessions in Michigan City. Register online at www.INRNWEST.blogspot.com.
Judy Pinkston, City of Michigan CDBG Program
Several homes are under construction. She has heard positive comments from the neighborhood. A developer has been secured for the Neighborhood Plan, which is being developed because they need more neighborhood input. A lot of money has been pumped into the project, but there needs to be more growth to the progress that has already been made. Many people from Home Team will be contacted for names of neighborhood folks whose involvement would be helpful.
Amanda Gano, Housing Opportunities:
If anyone has questions on permanent supportive housing guidelines (e.g. definition of disability/homelessness) call the Michigan City office at (219) 814-4687. If calling between 8am-4pm, the phone will be answered. If no one is in the Michigan City, it will roll over to the Valpo office. Right now they are taking appointments only, no walk ins. Currently the low income rentals in Michigan City are full and they are not doing a waiting list since it could take around a year to fill them. 3 units are houses they received from North Central Community Action Agencies.
Note: Dwight Graham is retiring from Habitat for Humanity.
Maggi Spartz, Unity Foundation:
MCAS set up a new fund (“Dress for Success”) at Unity which provides uniforms for low income students. Unity is currently seeking donations to grow the fund. This fund is not endowed and will just be paid out. Schools get to decide who gets the uniforms/money and products will be purchased through St. Andrew’s Products. Also, a donor established a new fund for housing & homelessness, which will be endowed, and the proceeds will be available in about 18 months. And, we received some cookware from a donor that will be available to anyone who needs it after it’s been inventoried.
Sue Korte Regetz, Unity Foundation:
Unity’s annual luncheon is Tuesday October 18 from 11:30am-1:00pm at the Best Western in LaPorte. Grant applicants will be notified one way or another mid September, and recipients will receive their grants at the luncheon.
REMINDERS AND NEXT MEETING:
- August 25 – 8:30 am – Home Team Meeting
- September 20 & 21 – Statewide Housing Conference – Indy – www.instatewideconference.net
- September 22 – NO HOME TEAM MEETING
- September 24 – 8 am – Homeward Bound Walk – Washington Park
- October 27 – 8:30 am – Home Team Meeting
The meeting adjourned at 10:10 am.