The Tarrant County Homeless Coalition (Homeless Coalition) announced that seven local organizations will collectively receive $2 million from the $2.5 million the Homeless Coalition received from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund Grant in November 2023.
In response to proposals received last month, a community funding committee, including people with lived experience, allocated money to support the following functions:
- Diversion—Immediately addressing the needs of individuals who have lost housing. Examples include negotiated returns to their previous housing or reunion with family or friends.
- Navigation and Linkage—Providing assistance in navigating the homeless response system and removing barriers to achieving housing. Examples include community housing navigators and landlord engagement activities.
- Rapid Exit—Offeringlimited financial assistance to those with income potential and minimal barriers to quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing.
- Supportive Services—Addressing the special needs of families experiencing homelessness. Examples include employment assistance programs, childcare and trauma counseling.
Area organizations involved in ending homelessness had until Jan. 26 to submit proposals detailing how they would use Bezos Day 1 Families Funds to address those functions. Based on those proposals, the funding committee made the following allocations to be awarded in 2024 and 2025:
- Arlington Housing Authority—AHA Diversion Program (Diversion); $125,000 annually.
- Catholic Charities, Diocese of Fort Worth—Padua: An Intensive Case Management Intervention (Supportive Services); $300,000 annually.
- Center for Transforming Lives—CTL Rapid Exit (Rapid Exit); $125,000 annually.
- DRC Solutions—Family Navigation (Linkage/Navigation); $105,070 annually.
- Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange (GRACE)—Grace Rapid Exit (Rapid Exit); $125,000 annually.
- Presbyterian Night Shelter–Rapid Exit+ (Rapid Exit); $115,000 annually.
- Homeless Coalition—Parker County Diversion (Diversion); $10,000 annually.
- Homeless Coalition-–Families Landlord Engagement Program (Linkage/Navigation); $94,930 annually.
“We felt a sense of urgency to quickly identify the most effective and efficient ways to use this generous gift from the Bezos Foundation,” said Lauren King, Homeless Coalition executive director. “Our community partners stepped up with their plans and we know this funding will be used to make a real impact for the members of our community facing homelessness.”
Cindy Casey, Head of Client Services at Catholic Charities Fort Worth, agrees. “This partnership is the result of years of collaboration and a shared commitment to serving our Tarrant County friends and neighbors in need,” she said. “At Catholic Charities Fort Worth, we know that safe and secure housing is essential to one’s ability to rise above poverty. By partnering with the Homeless Coalition to bring our signature style of holistic, evidence-based case management to families experiencing homelessness, we’re confident that, together, we can help countless families live their bigger, brighter futures.”
Since 2018, the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund has awarded more than $639 million to organizations around the country to help them identify unsheltered families, enable families regain housing, and connect families experiencing homelessness to vital services.
source: press release
