2017-585-E Finance - Inter-Faith Council for Social Service - Outside Agency Performance Agreement

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DocuSign Envelope ID:64D61581-25C0-4408-84C2-991109E2DF4C XHIBIT A PROVIDER'S OUTSIDE AGENCY APPLICATION residential services and others throughout the community who might not otherwise have furniture; Program Description (3 pages OR LESS) Please provide the following information about the proposed program: ee)Summarize the program services proposed and how the program will address a Town/County priority/goal? Research shows that as homeless individuals and families transition out of shelters and other emergency housing into more independent living in the community, having support services is an essential component of successful stabilization. A much higher percentage of those who receive wrap-around services remain housed on a more permanent basis. In collaboration with social service agencies, the Support Circles Program contributes to breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness in Orange County by training and supporting community members (volunteers) to provide material, practical, financial and relational support to those who are transitioning. Each individual or family (called a Partner) is matched with a Support Circle for 12 months. Modeled in large part after the Raleigh /Wake Support Circles Program for Homeless Families. Support Circles provides volunteers essential training to be able to foster relationships that are empowering and offer support with the end goal of enhancing the likelihood that the Partners will be able to sustain the positive changes in their lives, both on an individual level (addressing domestic violence, mental illness and addiction issues) and in facing the structural and systemic challenges that contributed to their homelessness (such as lack of affordable housing, poverty and lack of affordable health care). By providing the support formerly homeless individuals need the hope is to prevent a relapse back into homelessness. The Chapel Hill Human Services Need Assessment lists Education & Family Supports and Resources as an important community need. According to stakeholders, the community lacks sufficient financial resources for organizations helping families in greatest need of support. IFC currently has a half-time Support Circles Coordinator position, which is partially funded by the Human Services grant. Support of this position is "improving access to services and community engagement while addressing the human service needs in Chapel Hill" as each circle engages 8-10 community members to encourage the household moving from homeless to housed, much of which involves problem-solving as issues arise and helping locate resources that may be helpful to the household in being able to maintain their independence. IFC had 8 Support Circles functioning over the course of FY 15-16. This program has grown large enough that an all-volunteer effort is no longer practical. Their success is encouraging other volunteers to come forward and want to form circles, but there is a great deal of training and coordinating that must happen in order to increase the number of circles going at the same time. ff) Describe the community need or problem to be addressed in relation to the Chapel Hill Human Services Needs Assessment, Orange County BOCC Goals and Priorities, Town of Chapel Hill Council Goals, Carrboro goals, or other community priorities (i.e. Council/Board Goals). Reference local data (using the provided links, i.e. Chapel Hill Human Services Needs Assessment) to support the need for this program. PROGRAM INFORMATION 1/31/2017 11:43:55 AM Pago 29 of 35