By Paula Day

The Particular Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the archdiocese has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Community Appeal to Address Homelessness.

The Society will use the money to provide emergency rent, mortgage and utilities assistance to individuals and families in jeopardy of becoming homeless or to those who are already homeless, according to Sheila Bissonnette, executive director.

“I believe when someone’s at risk of being evicted due to a temporary financial setback we can help them overcome their predicament by paying one or two months’ rent and by giving them other needed assistance and moral support,” Mrs. Bissonnette explained. “If they are living in a shelter and have a job and a plan, paying rent and utilities for the first month or two could help put them on their feet.”

Thirty-one organizations serving 10 counties received grant monies totaling $276,360 from the special collection conducted in churches and synagogues in early February. United Way donated administrative work so the funds could be completely used for projects to help the homeless.

The assistance given by the agencies receiving the grant money includes providing food, shelter, furniture, counseling and childcare.

Jewish Family Services received the largest single grant to help fund a full-time case management staff person for its two winter night shelters, one for couples, the other for single women. The amount was $21,500.

Decatur Cooperative Ministry received the second largest grant which will go to establishing a day service center in Decatur for the homeless. Services will include provision for food, clothing, transportation, telephone, shower facilities, referrals to shelters, and case management for jobs. The ministry received $18,000.

Nicholas House, under the auspices of St. Bartholomew Episcopal church, will use its grant money to employ a full-time director, a position which will enable the shelter to increase the number of families given transitional housing from nine to 13. At the present time Nicholas House relies totally on volunteers and has no permanent, full-time on-site manager. It received $15,000.

The Atlanta Clothing Bank Network is the only new agency funded. The all-volunteer organization will solicit, store and distribute new clothing, accessories, diapers and toys to any non-profit agency serving the homeless.

The Atlanta Furniture Bank solicits, stores and distributes furniture and household items, at no charge, to homeless individuals and families throughout metro Atlanta as they are being rehoused. It also employees homeless people. Its $12,000 grant will allow it to remain open longer.

Agencies submitting grant requests had to meet one or more of the following criteria:

They provide emergency shelter.

They provided support services to individuals and families without a place to live or in jeopardy of becoming homeless.

They were organizations providing services to those helping the homeless.

They were involved in providing affordable housing.

They were involved in education, public awareness or advocacy in the area of homelessness.

Requests of $3.2 million came from 559 agencies or groups. A resource group made up of people who work in the field of homelessness had the task of paring this number down using the above criteria. When they had completed this initial evaluation, the total amount still being requested was $750,000, according to Father John Adamski.

Father Adamski was a member of an allocations subcommittee of approximately 20 pastors from a range of denominations and geographical locations. This subcommittee then reviewed the requests. They spend most but not all of their effort on those prioritized by the “hands on” committee, according to Father Adamski. This subcommittee made the final recommendations and the money ran out before they were able to consider agencies in the last two criteria categories, the priest said.

Every effort was made to be fair in awarding the grant money, Father Adamski said. The allocations committee also considered the “track record” of the agency requesting the money as well as its prospects for continuing its efforts through funding from sources other than a special appeal such as the one conducted in February.

Sixty of the 83 Catholic parishes and missions in the archdiocese contributed to the appeal. A Georgia Bulletin survey of 21 of those parishes showed they contributed approximately $56,000