Annual Report of the Interfaith Council Housing Assistance Committee June 14, 2022

Six months ago, everything was going along so peacefully ... the Interfaith Council’s Housing Committee was meeting via Zoom every Tuesday morning at 11, with our core membership representing Community Action of Pioneer Valley, the Salvation Army (both local and regional), Montague Catholic Social Ministries, and the Interfaith Council. We considered applications for rental arrears and for start-up funding, our mission since the creation of the Housing Assistance Committee.

... and then, MJ Adams called. “Could The Interfaith Council possibly fund motel rooms through the month of January, as the Salvation Army’s funding for emergency motel stays is depleted?” Of course, the answer was “Yes”, and the expectation was that we would allocate $2,000 of our regular funds for that purpose. At the same time, the Recorder ran its annual stories about the shelter being full to over-flowing, especially due to Covid precautions, and active community members lobbied for use of the Farren Care Center as an overflow warming center throughout the winter. Daily, the number of people needing emergency shelter grew. I wrote a letter to the editor, which prompted a most generous response from the Bete Family: They would challenge the Interfaith Council to raise $2,000 in support of emergency motel stays, which the Bete family would then match. The very first person to respond to that fund-raising letter gave the entire $2,000, and within a month, we had received $15,925 from nearly 60 donors.

To date, we have expended those funds:

●  $7,460.50 to the Travel Inn in Orange for 112 nights

●  $4,830 to the Days Inn for 69 nights

●  $1,243.38 to the Red Roof Inn for 12 nights

●  $1,238.81 for tents/tarps/sleeping pads given to the Athol Orange Baptist Church and St. James and Andrew Church for their outreach and street ministries.

We have had the biggest impact in the North Quabbin area where there is no shelter at all. The Athol Orange Baptist Church (housed right next door to the Salvation Army in Athol) had been trying hard to pay for motel stays on the coldest nights. By joining Zoom meetings of the North Quabbin Community Coalition, we were able to connect with that church and offer our financial support. Steve Raymond, leader of the Church’s effort, was the point person, and in that role he checked with us about available funds; made reservations at the Travel Inn; met folks there to get them checked in; and gave each person a bag of personal care supplies and snacks, courtesy of the church. The Interfaith Council Housing Assistance Committee was their only other source of funding for emergency stays, and in total, we funded 112 nights. (As an aside. The Interfaith Council is being honored with a Bridge-Builder award by the NQCC this week!)

In Greenfield, we partnered with the Salvation Army, which receives a discount from the local Days Inn. Calls began coming in from the Living Room; Franklin Regional Housing; Montague Catholic Social Ministries; GCC; and Community Action, all looking for emergency motel stays, most often for that same day and often on a weekend. Responses needed to be quick. I called Lt. Paul Leslie whenever we knew of a need, he made the reservation, and we paid the bill. On rare occasions, the person was not welcome back at the Days Inn, and that left us with no way to help; other times, the Days Inn was full over a weekend, and again, we had no other way to help. But we WERE able to pay for 69 nights at the Days Inn this winter/spring.

We helped several folks stay at the Red Roof Inn, for a total of 12 nights. And we made a connection with the Emmaus Ministry at St. James and Andrews, where church members walk the streets of downtown Greenfield to meet with those in need and offer comfort, companionship and support. We provided a tent and other supplies, through Emmaus, to a young LGBTQ woman who felt that a campsite was her best option, and have given two more tents to that church, and one to the Athol Orange Baptist Church, to have on hand for future needs. We currently have about $1,200 on hand to begin the fall, so that we can be helpful BEFORE the shelter overflow becomes a headline story in the newspaper.

A second change to our usual mission came in the form of ARPA funds from the City of Greenfield. These funds are designated to assist Greenfield residents only, over the next five years, to prevent homelessness. The City of Greenfield designated $25,000 to the Interfaith Council, with the request that we not take all five years to spend it! Funds are allocated in $5,000 amounts, and since receiving our first funds in March, we have spent $7,865. We are grateful to Nancy Hazard and Becca King for mentioning the Interfaith Council to the Mayor at an open forum, who then caused this windfall to happen!

In terms of our usual funding, from 7/1/21 through 6/30/22, we have spent $10,440.73 to prevent eviction or aid with start-up funding. Each year, we are the grateful beneficiaries of half the annual income of the Church Street Home Fund at the Community Foundation of Western MA, which this year was $16,550. We have increased the scope of ways we can be helpful to include purchasing a hot water heater for a homeowner who had been without one for several months; purchasing tires for a man living in his car; paying a small amount for a support dog training class, so that a woman could move into her apartment with her pet; paying the remainder due on a storage bill so that a family could get their furniture. We have also nearly doubled the dollar amounts we provide for arrears or start-up funding in the past two years.

Because of on-going conversations and emerging plans, I am far more optimistic that we will head into next winter in a much better position to provide needed emergency shelter, at least in Greenfield. The Interfaith Council of Franklin County plays an important role in that conversation, and because our funding can be flexible and we can respond quickly, we can frequently “fill the gaps” that federal and state programs cannot fund. It is my honor to serve on the Housing Assistance Committee.

Respectfully submitted,
Amy Clarke

Housing Assistance

Link to Application for Housing Assistance

The Interfaith Council has been working with a coalition of local agencies that have provided housing assistance for over a decade. Partner agencies are Community Action Pioneer Valley, Montague Catholic Ministries, and the Salvation Army.

Grants Are Available for people who are in danger of becoming un-housed. We can help them with rent or rental arrears. We can assist people who are moving into housing for the first time or for people who are moving from a poor housing situation to a better one. We have also, on occasion, provided funds to house families in motels or to give a variety of support for those unhoused during the winter.

The committee- which is made up of individuals from partner agencies including Community Action Pioneer Valley, Montague Catholic Ministries, and the Salvation Army- grew out of a desire to be more proactive in helping people secure housing. This group meets weekly to review applications.

Montague Catholic Social Ministries is our contact for housing questions. Please contact us at 413-824-5386 or email us at housing@mcsmcommunity.org. You can also contact Amy Clarke at dclarke33@comcast.net.

“We know the real answer is more housing,” said Amy Clarke. “and there are efforts, but it’s time-consuming…..It’s nothing immediate. But in the meantime, where is somebody going to go on a zero-degree night? We have the immediate ability to respond. It’s not ideal, but it’s something.”

News: Interfaith Council of Franklin County to receive $25k in ARPA Funds