INDIANAPOLIS – April 14, 2009…United Way of Central Indiana’s (UWCI) approval of $1.3 million for two local housing projects will help advance goals of the Indianapolis’ Blueprint to End Homelessness, announced Ellen K. Annala, UWCI’s president and CEO.
The projects, $1 million to help domestic violence survivors, and $320,000 to help people who are chronically mentally ill, will both address special housing needs identified in the Blueprint, Annala said. Indianapolis has a shortage of perhaps 12,500 units for low-income people, according to the report.
United Way first helped draw the community’s attention to the need for more housing as a strategy to prevent homelessness in a 1996 study, Annala said. ”It’s gratifying, especially in the current economic climate, to continue to be a part of the solution with these two latest grants.”
A $1 million grant to The Julian Center will help construct 71 permanent housing units at 34th and Meridian Street. Victims of abuse account for 22 percent of Indianapolis’ homeless population, which is a higher proportion than the national average, reports the agency.
Currently, the United Way agency operates a crisis shelter and transitional housing for domestic violence survivors. After leaving emergency or transitional shelter, survivors often have trouble finding permanent, affordable housing, because their history of abuse may have caused poor employment, credit or rental experiences, according to the agency.
The apartments will be close to The Julian Center’s supportive services such as food pantry, legal and other programs to help residents rebuild their lives. Onsite they will also have access to case management and trauma counseling services.
In 2001, United Way awarded The Julian Center $1.2 million to expand its domestic violence shelter and transitional housing facility at 2011 N. Meridian Street where more than 100 women and children are helped each day.
United Way is also providing $320,000 for renovation of 60 efficiency units for chronically mentally ill people at St. George apartments, 2101 North Boulevard Place.
Support services will be provided by Midtown Mental Health. Onsite services will help residents improve life skills such as personal budgeting, hygiene and cooking. They’ll also be close to therapeutic and psychiatric services.
Since 2000, UWCI has approved more than $90 million to help member agencies with major capital improvements to enhance the delivery of human service programs using special funding from Lilly Endowment Inc.
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Serving six Central Indiana counties, United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI) helps sustain vital human services by working exclusively with proven human service agencies that direct life-changing opportunities. UWCI also helps reduce the needs of future generations by helping ensure that kids enter school ready to learn and graduate school ready to earn.
