A local organization is teaming up with the municipality to help those experiencing homelessness.
ROCK Missions has been granted an 18-month contract for housing focused outreach services, to ensure that homeless individuals and families are known and connected with community services.
Funding for the program, which is not to exceed $200,000, comes from Chatham-Kent’s economic downturn reserve.
“The funding is primarily for staffing of outreach services, and then the costs that go along with having staff to do this,” Polly Smith, Director of Employment and Social Services said during council’s online meeting Monday night. ““These would be paid positions through ROCK Missions.”
A report to council said staff with Employment & Social Services have been responding to new encampments in the community as they become known to try to build relationships, but that takes staff resources away from other work such as securing new housing in the private market and helping high barrier individuals with maintaining their housing.
“The residents of Chatham-Kent would benefit from having additional service providers like ROCK missions working with the Municipality in a coordinated fashion to end chronic homelessness in the community,” Smith said.
Smith said the main goal is making sure those who are unhoused, especially those living rough, are identified, counted by name, and connected with support services.
“There’s limited control that we have, or an agency has in that, but if people are seen or counted or provided with some help and services, that’s our main goal for this program, so that’s what we’ll be tracking.”
At the end of ROCK Mission’s 18-month contract, administration will come back before council with a summary report and outline next steps.
