City Details Plan to Continue Services Provided by Freedom House

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~Homeward & City’s DSS have developed transition homelessness service plan~

In response to the closure of Freedom House, the City’s Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Human Services Stephen Harms requested that the Executive Director of Homeward, Kelly King Horne, in cooperation with homelessness prevention staff at the Richmond Department of Social Services, work with Freedom House and the network of homeless assistance agencies to develop a transition plan for services to people experiencing homelessness. The findings of this report are as follows:

-        All non-veteran residents of the Freedom House shelter programs have been transitioned to permanent housing or are being served by CARITAS, Commonwealth Catholic Charities, HomeAgain, and the Salvation Army. Freedom House is working on a separate plan to serve its 12 veteran residents.
-        Freedom House is in conversation with other community partners about the meals program previously located at the Conrad Center. Meals will continue to be served at the Conrad Center through the end of this week. Breakfast and dinner are being served today through Friday, and one meal will be served on Saturday and Sunday. More details on this will be released as information becomes available. If someone needs assistance with food, they should call 2-1-1 or FeedMore’s Hunger Hotline at (804) 521-2500.
-        Commonwealth Catholic Charities’ Homeless Point of Entry is operational as before. If you are in need of emergency shelter, Homeless Point of Entry can be reached at (804) 648-4177. 
-        Homeward, the Richmond Department of Social Services, and other homeless service agencies will review this past year’s winter shelter programs and assess the needs of the community as well as new sites and new models for meeting this need next winter and beyond.
-        While there may not always be enough resources to meet the needs of those in a housing crisis, residents should call 2-1-1, a free information and referral center staffed by professionals 24 hours a day, for the latest information and resources to address their needs.