FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Sunny Kim, Caritas of Austin
512-646-1261
skim[at]caritasofaustin.org

CARITAS OF AUSTIN ANNOUNCES HOUSING INITIATIVE FOR HOMELESS ADULTS

Permanent Supportive Housing Project
Is Nonprofit’s First

AUSTIN, TX – Caritas of Austin announced today a new Permanent Supportive Housing Project for single, chronically homeless adults. Caritas is partnering with Foundation Communities, which will lease to Caritas 20 efficiency apartments for 20 clients at Spring Terrace, formerly an extended stay hotel in northeast Austin. The project, made possible by grants from the Wachovia Foundation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, begins on July 1. The HUD funding was contingent on Caritas raising financial support from the community, and the Wachovia Foundation donation covered the necessary amount.

The Wachovia Foundation has a strong commitment to education, community development, health and human services, and arts and culture in our community,” said Suzanna Caballero, Senior Vice President of Wachovia. “We are delighted to help Caritas, an organization known for its critical role in providing basic needs and longer-term self-sufficiency assistance to low-income families.”

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Caritas Homeless Services to provide in-depth, long term case management,” said Jo Kathryn Quinn, director of the Self-Sufficiency Services Department. “We are very excited about this project because of the potential to provide clients with the individualized support they need to move toward self-sufficiency.”

The project is the first of its kind for the 42-year-old social service agency. Caritas provides case management to homeless adults through its highly successful ReEntry Program but currently does not operate a permanent housing model.

Caritas will hire an on-site case manager who works specifically with clients at Spring Terrace. Chronically homeless individuals whose housing situation is stabilized are more effectively able to focus on other issues such as drug abuse, mental illness, money management issues, inability to find affordable housing and criminal history. Clients may choose to seek permanent housing outside of this program after becoming stable; however, this housing option will be available to them for as long as they need it.

HUD defines chronically homeless adults as an unaccompanied homeless person who has a disabling condition and has been continually homeless for a year or more or has had four or more episodes of homelessness in the last three years.

The Wachovia Foundation is a private foundation that is funded annually by Wachovia Corporation. The Wachovia Foundation provides grants to eligible 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations in areas of education, community development, health and human services, and arts and culture. The Wachovia Foundation’s mission is to build strong and vibrant communities, improve the quality of life and make a positive difference where residents work and live. 

Since 1964, Caritas has assisted with basic needs such as food, rent and utilities and helped clients learn the skills they need to gain self-reliance. This year, Caritas will serve over 20,000 adults and children as Travis County’s largest source of non-governmental assistance. “Caritas” is from the Latin word for love, and in this spirit, anyone with a legitimate need is eligible to receive help.

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