|
January 26, 2008 - Clarion Herald
UNITY group, archdiocese seek to help homeless
By Christine Bordelon
“Everyone deserves to have affordable housing,” said Kaleshe Garrison-Hill, contracts manager for UNITY Greater New Orleans, a non-profit agency that works to end homelessness.
When UNITY and its 60 partners recently championed the cause to house the hundreds living in Duncan Plaza tent city, they soon realized that the need extended beyond housing.
“We moved them to affordable housing,” said Garrison-Hill. “While moving them into an apartment is great, (we learned) there wouldn’t be anything in those apartments.”
So, UNITY put a call out in the community for furnishings and a place to store the donations.
By mid-December 2007, the agency had both.
The first, large furniture donation of mattresses, box springs, sheets, pillowcases, pillows, mattress pads, nightstands, lamps, headboards, toiletry items and towns came from the Westin Hotel.
“They donated things that were brand new,” Garrison-Hill said.
Storage Provided
Then the Archdiocese of New Orleans offered temporary storage at a former school building of Our Lady of Good Counsel.
“The Archdiocese stepped up to the plate and offered this space to store furnishings for the homeless people,” she said. “We would not have been able to accept any items without the donation of space.”
The public has also been generous, Garrison-Hill said. The Doubletree Hotel donated nightstands, lamps, chairs and tables, and individuals also have made monetary and furniture donations.
“We’ve been surprised with the public’s response,” she said.
Garrison-Hill said she’s been most grateful for the help from Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans to assist the most vulnerable in New Orleans. The union between UNITY and Catholic Charities began at UNITY’s inception about 15 years ago.
“But the newest collaboration came about because in Duncan Plaza there were 250 homeless people living in tent city,” Garrison-Hill said.
In this partnership, Catholic Charities provides case management services (Social Security, food stamps, mental health services, budgeting advice, employment, etc.), housing and rent for the homeless through the Rapid Rehousing program, said Connie Andry, director of Homeless Services for Catholic Charities.
Homeless Services for Catholic Charities has been contracted by UNITY to work with 100 people. So far, Catholic Charities has opened files for 39 individuals, placing 13 people in apartments, with others housed temporarily in hotels. UNITY has placed approximately 90 individuals in homes with furnishings.
“It’s a wonderful partnership,” Andry said. “It not only helps them with physical needs but helps them become stable through case management.”
“We’re trying to work real hard to have everybody placed,” Garrison-Hill said.
As the homeless obtain permanent housing, Garrison-Hill estimates that the need for furnishings and storage will diminish.
“We’re hoping that everyone placed in an apartment has furniture by the end of March,” Garrison-Hill said. “That’s what our goal is.”
UNITY is still in need of donations of mattresses, box springs, kitchen tables, chairs, small appliances and beds which can be dropped off at Our Lady of Good Counsel on Louisiana Wednesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Financial donations are accepted by UNITY at its offices at 2475 Canal St., New Orleans, LA 70119.
“You can’t ever get enough of beds and mattresses,” Garrison-Hill said. “We’ve had to resort to air mattresses.”
Garrison-Hill said UNITY is trying to streamline the process between furniture donations and those moving into apartments by matching donors directly with recipients. Goodwill will collect individual donations.
“The tenant will receive what they need, and it will give people an idea that their donation is put to good use; that their actions have made a difference,” she said. |
