|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2005
CONTACT: corprel@freddiemac.com
or phone (703) 903-4384
$550,000 FREDDIE MAC FOUNDATION GRANT TO SUPPORT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM FOR NoVa. HOMELESS FAMILIES
CMHS Acquires Five Additional Housing Units, Unveils First One
Falls Church, VA – The Freddie Mac Foundation made a $550,000 grant to
help the Center for Multicultural Human Services (CMHS) acquire five additional
transitional housing units, which will provide 16 more homeless families in
Northern Virginia – many of them recent immigrants – with safe housing
and intensive support services. CMHS and the Foundation announced the program
expansion during a housewarming at one of the five recently acquired homes.
“The work being done by the CMHS is of vital importance to our growing
community,” said Congressman Moran. “Thanks to the major grant from
the Freddie Mac Foundation and the support of the City of Falls Church, more
homeless families and their children have a safe place to call home while they
adjust to their new lives here in the United States.”
“Family homelessness is a growing issue in our region – especially
among immigrants – which has been exacerbated by the high cost of housing.
This grant from the Freddie Mac Foundation is very important in helping us reach
more at risk families with housing and intensive support services so they can
achieve independent, self sufficient living,” said Dr. Dennis Hunt, executive
director, CMHS.
“The Freddie Mac Foundation is pleased to work with CMHS to help expand
their Multicultural Family Self-Sufficiency program,” stated Ralph F.
Boyd, chairman, Freddie Mac Foundation. “Providing struggling families
with a stable place to call home strengthens these families and ensures that
their children face a brighter future. That’s what our work is all about.”
CMHS, a mental health agency serving the region’s growing immigrant community,
provides an array of direct services and training programs to more than 8,000
individuals, including 1,000 children. CMHS’ Multicultural Family Self-Sufficiency
program currently prepares families transitioning out of homelessness using
only one housing unit. After leaving an emergency shelter, families move to
transitional housing for up to six months to further stabilize them. With this
grant, CMHS is able to expand its services as well as serve up to 40 individuals
or 16 families in five units serving all of Northern Virginia. In addition,
by leveraging the Foundation’s grant, CMHS was able to secure the donation
of the home unveiled today rent-free from the City of Falls Church, ensuring
that more grant money goes towards services for affected families.
Family homelessness in the suburbs has become a serious and growing issue,
with children comprising 31 percent of the homeless population. In addition,
a majority of the Washington, DC region’s homeless families live in the
suburbs. Recent immigrants are especially susceptible given the many cultural
and language barriers they face as well as the region’s high cost of living.
Although most families do not remain homeless for very long, the experience
can be devastating, increasing the likelihood that families will fracture and
dissolve. Homeless children are also more likely to be placed in foster care.
In addition, they are less healthy, experience disruptions in schooling, and
are more likely to have developmental delays than poor, housed children.
Funding transitional housing programs that create stable, healthy environments
for homeless children and families is an important way the Freddie Mac Foundation
is working to alleviate these issues while achieving its mission. Everyday,
the Freddie Mac Foundation works to strengthen families by funding programs
that prevent child abuse and neglect, find homes for foster children, and help
youth reach their full potential.
In addition to the Multicultural Family Self-Sufficiency program, CMHS provides
a comprehensive array of services to a growing community of refugees, immigrants,
and survivors of war, torture, trafficking and other trauma, including mental
health treatment and evaluation; a domestic violence program; self-sufficiency
projects; parenting classes; activities for at-risk youth; language classes;
child abuse prevention; and alcohol/drug education
|
