Lee gets federal grant to help the homeless

Lee County agencies will receive $2.2 million this year to provide housing and supportive services to homeless families and individuals - part of a record $1.5 billion in grants announced last month by the Bush Administration and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Roy A. Bernardi.

The grants, part of HUD's Continuum of Care and Emergency Shelter Grant programs, will help 168,000 homeless individuals and families nationwide find emergency shelter, transitional housing, and a permanent home.

The local grants - part of $69.7 million distributed in Florida - will go to Southwest Florida Addiction Services ($212,325), the Salvation Army ($1,286,206), Renaissance Manor ($192,010), Ruth Cooper Center ($98,736), Lee County Human Services ($300,232), and Emergency Shelter Grant funds ($93,910) to fill critical needs for permanent supportive housing and continue programs that deliver a broad range of health, housing, and employment services for Lee County's homeless residents.

The Lee County 2008 Homeless Continuum of Care submission covered all local jurisdictions. Lee County's Department of Human Services is responsible for the planning, application, and administration of the grant funds. Local partnering agencies, which are members of the Lee County Coalition for the Homeless, implement Lee County's Continuum of Care activities. Continuum activities focus on restoring homeless families, individuals, and children to housing and selfsufficient lives.