EMERGENCY SHELTER HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ESHAP)
Emergency Shelter Homeless Assistance Program is our primary program to assist guests with attaining housing subsidies, finding apartments, and maintaining housing. The program is operated and maintained by our programming department, a 35-hour, and a 25-hour Navigator positions. Our Housing Navigators meet with guests after they move out of the shelter to ensure housing stability. This year we have provided ESHAP services (which include both in- and out-of-shelter supports) to 202 people with a success rate of 95% housed for at least a full year.
We currently have 2 Housing Navigators whose specific function is to assist shelter guests with attaining affordable and stable housing. Funded through the Emergency Shelter Housing Assistance Program (ESHAP), the Navigators establish links to the community and relationships with area landlords and housing authorities. The Navigators are also available to check in with former guests for up to a year after they leave the shelter to assist with housing stability issues, such as landlord communication and problem-solving, good neighbor issues, financial management, understanding their lease, and managing housing assistance.
Included Services:
- Housing stability assessment
- Assistance locating affordable housing
- Assistance with rental applications
- Assistance with funding
- Housing stability visits
- General housing stability assistance
In 2023, we sheltered 337 individuals in our emergency shelter and an average of an additional 35 people each night in our winter warming center. We served over 700 people in our weekly community food pantry, including families with children and the elderly.