1889 Foundation granted $100,000 to The Community Help Center (CHC) to continue offering emergency shelter services in Cambria County. CHC was created as a division of The Women’s Help Center to meet the community’s needs and work to assist individuals experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness.
“1889 Foundation has been instrumental to the survival and success of the Women’s Help Center (WHC) and we have truly appreciated the support of this essential partnership,” said The Community Help Center Executive Director Roxann Tyger. “The need for housing services in Cambria County continues to grow. By expanding our mission to address homelessness and housing insecurity for any individual or family through the creation of the Community Help Center we will continue to try to alleviate this issue for Cambria County.”
The CHC will serve as the housing hub for the entire county. Its work will consist of assisting individuals experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness by connecting them with essential housing services and resources.
“The 1889 Foundation has been a strong supporter of the Women’s Help Center and the creation of the Community Help Center,” said 1889 Foundation President Sue Mann. “This funding goes beyond simply providing shelter; it enables the CHC to offer essential services like case management, outreach, education, access to Community Health Workers, and critical connections to housing resources. Together, these efforts aim to help individuals break the cycle of poverty and avoid homelessness.”
The assistance will provide adults and children with housing and food resources, as well as connecting them to vital resources and medical care with the overall goal of helping them obtain housing and regaining their independence.
CHC program participants will work with a Housing and Resource Navigator to identify their specific housing needs, options they have, and facilitate a transition into permanent housing. Some of the case management services offered are legal and housing advocacy, financial and renter’s education, and access to a HUD certified Housing Counselor.
Over the past several years, the agency has experienced a growing need in the community for emergency shelter and housing resources. In 2023, the agency provided 11,618 nights of shelter to adults and children experiencing homelessness. It also provided 386 individuals (101 were children) in emergency shelter in 2023. Had the agency not existed, the individuals and families would have been left unsheltered.
The existing program will continue in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
