The TaskForce for Ending Homelessness recently announced the award of $2,088,963 in community grants to nine nonprofit organizations serving individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The TaskForce for Ending Homelessness, the lead agency for the Continuum of Care (CoC) for North Central Florida that applies for these funding cycles, said in a press release that the funds will be awarded to support critical services across Alachua, Bradford, Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy, Putnam, and Union counties.
The awarded programs will provide housing services such as short-term rental and mortgage assistance for those behind on payments; outreach at encampments, schools, hospitals, and jails; and rehousing services with individualized case management. The grants will also support family and adult emergency shelters, behavioral health care programs, domestic violence and human trafficking shelters and more.
“These grants are a reflection of what’s possible when communities unite behind a shared mission. Together, we’re building a system of care that meets people where they are and supports them in moving forward toward self-sufficiency,” said Claudia Tuck, LCSW, Director of Alachua County Community Support Services and Chair of the CoC Leadership Council, in the press release.
Among the organizations awarded funding by the CoC are Another Way, Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry (GRACE Marketplace), Family Promise, Lee Conlee House, Catholic Charities Bureau, Neighborhood Housing and Development Corporation, Peaceful Paths, Putnam County Caring Coalition and Released Reentry.
CoC funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners.
“This investment strengthens our region’s collective response to homelessness,” said Keanna Johnson, CoC director at the TaskForce, in the press release. “It equips our partners with the resources needed to connect people to housing quickly, offer targeted supports, and build long-term housing stability.” Together, these grants reinforce the region’s commitment to coordinated, data-driven, and compassionate care, ensuring that fewer individuals fall into homelessness—and more are able to exit it permanently.