Eight Knoxville-area agencies will receive funding to continue their work to end homelessness in our community. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the funding through the department's Continuum of Care program.

The agencies received a combined $1,240,464 in funding to continue the operation of existing housing and service programs. The multi-agency application process was coordinated through the Knoxville-Knox County Coalition to End Homelessness with support from the staff of the Ten-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.

"It's important to note the grant funding would not be possible without a coordinated effort," said Knoxville Mayor Daniel Brown. "The work by the staff of the Ten Year Plan and the Coalition to End Homelessness clearly shows what can happen when the community works together."

Agencies and organizations receiving the funding renewals are: Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, Child and Family Tennessee, Helen Ross McNabb Center, Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, Positively Living, the Salvation Army, the University of Tennessee and Volunteer Ministry Center.

"This award allows Knoxville and Knox County to continue the forward progress we've made since the community formed the Ten-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness," said Jon Lawler, director of the Ten-Year Plan. "Because of the cooperative spirit arising from the Coalition, the grants will fund outreach, case management, and counseling, and will also support 193 existing units of transitional and permanent supportive housing. That represents real people no longer living day-to-day in search of shelter."

Funding for the grant program is administered by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and is awarded directly to each individual agency. Communities across the nation competed for Continuum of Care grants.

Lawler noted the funding is awarded to allow agencies to continue the operation of existing programs and services. Those include permanent supportive housing programs for homeless women and children, services for outreach and case management, employment training, housing programs for homeless people with disabilities, and management of a database system to track and provide community-wide reporting on homeless service-related information.

A complete listing of agencies, funding amounts awarded and programs is available below:

Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee
2247 Western Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37950
Projects: (1)Families in Need (Supportive Service Only) ($90,096); (2)REACH (Supportive Service Only) ($104,580); (3)SUCCEED (Supportive Service Only) ($139,050)
These programs provide outreach, case management, and housing placements for homeless families and individuals.

Child and Family Tennessee
1905 and 1909 Dawn Street
Knoxville, TN 37921
Project: PleasanTree Apartments (Supportive Housing Program) ($268,697)
29 units of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless women and women with children.

Positively Living, Inc.
1501 East Fifth Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37917
Project: Parkridge Harbor Apartments (Supportive Housing Program) ($70,204)
24 units of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals with disabilities

The Salvation Army, A Georgia Corporation
409 N. Broadway
Knoxville, TN 37917
Project: Operation Bootstrap (Transitional Housing Program) ($207,648)
66 units of transitional housing with supportive services and employment training and assistance for homeless individuals

The University of Tennessee
1534 White Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37996
Project: Knoxville HMIS ($132,282)
Operation of the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), a database used by homeless service agencies, shelter and housing providers to coordinate services, securely track client data, and to provide community-wide reporting on homeless service-related information.

Helen Ross McNabb Center
201 W. Springdale Ave
Knoxville, TN 37917
Project: Helen Ross McNabb Center- Supportive Housing (Supportive Housing Program) ($61,209)
8 units of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals with disabilities

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, Inc.
3009 Lake Brook Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37909
Project: Elizabeth's Homes (Transitional Housing) ($116,698)
9 units of scattered site transitional supportive housing for homeless families.

Volunteer Ministry Center, Inc.
511 N. Broadway
Knoxville, TN 37917
Project: Minvilla Manor (Supportive Housing) ($50,000)
57 units of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals with disabilities.