The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has approved a grant allocating $630,000 to three different non-profits to help with the homeless situation.
Supervisors signed off on the grant Tuesday, also continuing the safe parking program, which designated sites around Santa Rosa for people to sleep in their cars overnight.
According to a 2015 report conducted by Applied Survey Research, Sonoma County has a homeless population over 3,000, with 67 percent living unsheltered. Unsheltered is classified as living on the street, in abandoned buildings or encampment areas and in vehicles. Of the 33 percent living in shelters, 20 percent were in emergency shelters and 13 percent in transitional housing.
Despite a decreasing number of homeless over the years, the homeless population across Sonoma County has become more noticeable as of late. Many are forced out of large encampments and into more visible areas across the county.
The grant funds will be allocated to three nonprofits aiming to help the homeless - Catholic Charities, Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) and county initiative to cooridinate homeless services.
Catholic Charities, an organization offering many different services, has a variety of resources to aid the homeless. The Family Support Center, located in downtown Santa Rosa, is a 138 bed facility aimed at helping homeless families, especially children. The center’s Coach2Career Lab offers assistance to those in need of employment. The center also features an after-school program for children living at the center.
To continue reading this article by Sierra Straub, go to:http://www.sonomastatestar.com...ives-help-from-grant
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