St. Louis County Funds Organizations to Help Eradicate Homelessness

Homelessness is a big issue in the area and many area organizations that work to eradicate it are getting a massive boost in funding from St. Louis County. 

ST. LOUIS COUNTY – Homelessness is a big issue in the area and many area organizations that work to eradicate it are getting a massive boost in funding from St. Louis County.

There is a changing face in homelessness – not only do people have to find housing, but organizations that help also have to take into consideration things like mental health, education, and substance abuse and now, St. Louis County is stepping up, providing nearly $1.8 million to help some of those local groups grow.

St. Louis County is providing a little more than $48,000 to Life House in Duluth for its Loft SHelter, which provides housing assistance for about 20 individuals between the ages of 18 and 20.

When a young person comes to Life House, the program helps give the individual comprehensive services. He or she is also accessing mental health services and has the ability to get other education support he or she might need in the process.

“Extremely grateful for the support of the county and our community partners coming together to think about how to support people specifically homeless youth,” said Jordon Johnson, the executive director of Life House. “The challenge with the Loft is creating some really supportive, consistent funding and this provides that consistency and support in the community.”

At CHUM in Duluth, St. Louis County funds of more than $550,000 will be providing for a variety of services, including adding staff to assist people moving from the shelter, expanding food services and increasing operations of the Health and Wellness Center to 40 hours. The funds will also contribute to staffing overnight winter warming centers.

“The length of time people need to stay before they can resolve a housing issue is much much longer and most of the time, they also have to deal with an income issue, a mental health issue, a chemical dependency issue, that’s part of all of that,” said Lee Stuart, the executive director of CHUM.

The Bois Forte Indian Reservation is also receiving around $21,000 dollars from the county, providing hotel vouchers for band members wanting emergency shelter services off the reservation within St. Louis County.

Not only does the reservation provide housing, it also puts a focus on things like historical trauma, which also has an impact on the homeless population within the county.

“It’s hard work, determination and collaboration,” said Pamela Hudges, the substance use disorder and New Moon supportive housing program director. “And I have been lucky that where there are a lot of great people in St. Louis County that are collaborating with us with our homelessness.”

Funding will also be distributed to AEOA, the American Indian Community Housing Organization and Safe Haven.