USM Institute for Disability Studies Holding Canned Food Drive
Wed, 11/08/2017 - 02:02pm | By: Alma Ellis
The holiday season is a time of giving and receiving but many homeless families are not able to give because they are in need of receiving from their communities to stabilize them in decent housing. Homelessness is a devastating experience for families with children and homeless households need assistance in ending their homelessness.
The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies' (IDS) Project Recovery Rapid Re-housing program assists homeless families with children in southern Mississippi counties such as Forrest, Adams, Pike, Lauderdale and Marion. As part of this year's “Gifting to the Needy” drive, IDS is conducting a holiday canned food drive. The drive will be Nov. 20 – Dec. 15. Donations of canned goods, fruit and nonperishable items will be provided to homeless individuals/families in need of food donations for the holidays.
Project Recovery specializes in providing services for homeless families with children. To be eligible for this program, families must be literally homeless - which is defined as living in shelters, living on the street or sleeping in places not meant for human habitation such as cars, abandoned buildings, or parks. Services available include up to two months of financial assistance and case management toward locating, obtaining and maintaining permanent housing.
Transitioning back into the community can be difficult for Project Recovery clients. During this process, case managers refer homeless families to every possible resource to assist them in maintaining housing. Supplies provided by the “Gifting to the Needy” canned food drive will be provided to Project Recovery families and/or other homeless individuals requesting food.
For more information, call IDS case managers Tracy Coleman 601.266.5627 or Tanya Smith at 601.266.6063.
Project Recovery is funded by Mississippi United to End Homelessness Continuum of Care Permanent Housing with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).