Page 4 - 6-3-16 Friday's Edition

Features
Loss Of HUD Funds Devastates Agencies Who Provide Services For The Homeless
Young Man Spends Time Thinking Of Ways To Help Others
“Young Hero” Patrick Jackson-Williams, center, is shown with TV reporter, Bill Murphy and Bay News 9 Anchor Erica Riggins at the 2016 Everyday Heroes Luncheon.
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
With the closing of independ- ent homeless housing agencies like Homeless Helping Home- less and others, the city and county’s homeless population has had to depend on the power agencies, Salvation Army, Alpha House, and The Spring, to give them a place to live and get them off the streets.
When the Department of Housing and Urban Develop- ment (HUD) announced they were going to start concentrat- ing more on permanent hous- ing, they served notice by cutting $800,000 in funding for the area’s housing programs.
The loss of funding impacted facilities like The Spring and Alpha House the most, because they almost exclusively depend on the HUD funds to run their programs.
The Salvation Army also had to scramble after losing $388,000 in HUD funding. A portion of that amount covered staff and emergency housing programs.
Major James Hall of the Salvation Army said, they’re going to have to change the model of services they provide.
“We are contracted for a men’s and women’s program, and the women’s contract has expired. The county has offered help through GAP funding, but that’s only for 6 months.
“We’re going to have to cut down on the number of people we’re serving and be more di- rect.”
Major Hall said without the funding from HUD, they are pretty much done as far as the amount of people they can serve.
“We do have alternate fund- ing sources, but this is a major reduction in our income. Our primary concern is the people we’re assisting. We’re looking for funding from the private sec- tor.
“A lot of programs have al- ready been re-prioritized. Also, a lot of new programs have got- ten the funds that were taken away.”
Major Hall said HUD wants to fund permanent housing ex- clusively, and between the Sal-
vation Army, Alpha House, and The Spring, almost 200 people will be left without a place to live.
“The county is helping those people find a place to live. What we’re doing is not filling the beds once their empty.
“We are working on a strategy to deal with this now and in the future, because none of us antic- ipate the funding coming back from HUD. We’re going to have to put people on the street and that will be devastating.”
Major Hall said they are going to have to re-tool the way they provide their services.
“I’ve reached out to elected officials for alternative funding sources.”
Major Hall said they don’t offer food for homeless people who aren’t living at their facility.
“We’re constantly ap- proached by people offering to feed the homeless and that’s fine, but after they leave we have to do the cleanup.”
The organizations have turned to Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative with hopes of getting some assistance.
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
When the Christmas holidays come around, Patrick Jack- son-Williams is always think- ing of others. His thoughts go to young children who are hospi- talized, mainly because he has spent a lot of time hospitalized. He reaches out to the commu- nity to assist in his effort to pro- vide stuffed animals for those in area hospitals. The past 2 years he delivered stuffed animals (penguins and elephants) to children at 2 hospitals.
Because of his effort to help others, Patrick was named the Young Hero of the overall Bay News 9 Everyday Heroes dur- ing a luncheon earlier this year. He received the individual honor for the month of October.
Because he cares so much
about others, Patrick has taken on another project to “end youth homelessness.” Working with Angels on Assignment Worldwide, an organization he founded, Patrick is hoping to get small items donated that would mean so much to a home- less youth, he said.
An ordained minister who still fights cerebral palsy, Patrick, 17, is looking to provide blan- kets, toothpaste/toothbrushes, journals, shampoo/conditioner, socks, pens, bottled water, non perishable food items, razors, wipes pillows and so many other useful items.
In all of his endeavors, Patrick has the support of his mother, Ms. Patricia Jack- son.
To offer assistance or for more information, call (813) 379-0522 or (813) 748-4704.
MAJOR JAMES AND LEISHA HALL
With funding cuts, citizens will see more people pan- handling.
PAGE 4-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016