BOLD Goal 1: Reduce Hunger and Homelessness

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BOLD Goal 1: Reduce Hunger and Homelessness

BOLD Goal 1: Reduce Hunger and Homelessness

Why We Invest

United Way sees an opportunity to reduce hunger and homelessness by improving systems and strengthening partnerships to allow individuals to access stable housing and food. The outcome is hunger and homelessness being rare, brief and nonrecurring. There is a strong focus on the housing first philosophy, a proven method of ending all types of homelessness, which offers individuals and families experiencing homelessness immediate access to permanent affordable or supportive housing with a low threshold for entry.

The Issue

More than 1,000 individuals are experiencing homelessness on any given night in our community
Last year, of those experiencing homelessness in our community, 23% were children
Of those experiencing hunger in our community, 37% are children

Our Strategy

Reducing hunger and food insecurity of families and individuals in need
Reducing long-term, chronic homelessness and housing the hardest to house

The Action

Continued to build on increased collaboration of community partners as part of the Cass Clay Hunger Coalition, all working together to support equitable access to food, while addressing the root causes of hunger – with lead role on steering committee
Increased the number of individuals who are able to attain stable housing by 92% in the past 5 years

The Results

3,665 children received food on the weekends and during the summer when school was not in session
95% of individuals were able to maintain stable housing for 12 months while in the program

Spotlight

The Housing Navigation Program, a community-based, solution-focused strategy, assists chronically homeless individuals with complex and frequently co-occurring issues to access and maintain stable housing.

In 2020, 48 active Housing Navigation Program participants served by Presentation Partners in Housing were able to attain housing, with 100% of clients being able to maintain stable housing for at least six months. In addition, data was collected on 26 program participants who reduced the usage of costly community services such as detox admissions, ambulance transports, jail time, emergency room visits, and emergency shelter stays after attaining housing. Over the past four years of this program, there has been a combined cost savings estimated at $1,576,212 for our local community!

Looking Forward to 2021

We will continue to focus on partnerships to prevent 90% of families and children from becoming homeless by 2023.

At United Way, innovation is important to us – instead of trying to solve a problem that exists, we are working to prevent the problem from ever happening. The solution was as simple as providing the right help at the right time through Housing Stability Specialists.

This collaborative effort, along with our partnerships to focus on equitable access to food while addressing root causes of food insecurity, will allow our community to break the cycle of homelessness and hunger for generations to come.

State of Homelessness in Fargo-Moorhead Metro Area: A report of the FM Coalition to End Homelessness in collaboration with United Way of Cass-Clay.

View the 2020 Executive Summary
Read the full 2020 Annual Report

Partner Opportunities
If you are a non-profit looking for funding, applications will be available fall 2022.
For more information, please see the previous Notice of Funding Availabl e.

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