Our Neighbors Place Inc

PROVIDE EMERGENCY SERVICES, HOMELESS SHELTER, AND FOOD TO THOSE IN NEED.

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND TBRA IN 2021, OUR NEIGHBORS' PLACE CONTINUED TO OPERATE A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO STABILIZE AND REHOUSE FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND SELECTIVE RENTAL MARKETS IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. RESIDING IN A 4-UNIT BUILDING IN A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD IN RIVER FALLS UNDER THE CARE OF A PROFESSIONAL CASE MANAGER, FAMILIES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO STAY FOR UP TO 24 MONTHS. THEY CONTRIBUTE 30% OF THEIR INCOME TOWARD RENT AS THEY WORK TOWARD THEIR INDIVIDUAL GOALS OF SECURING PERMANENT HOUSING. IN APRIL OF 2016, ONP SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH WESTCAP TO PROVIDE TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE (TBRA) TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WITH AT LEAST ONE DISABLED MEMBER AND WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR WHO ARE IMMINENTLY AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. TO THIS END, WESTCAP AND OUR NEIGHBORS' PLACE AGREED TO WORK TOGETHER TO ASSIST THESE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN PIERCE AND ST. CROIX COUNTIES WITH TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE GRANT FUNDS. THIS AGREEMENT HAS SINCE BEEN RENEWED; THE PURPOSE IS TO SERVE HOUSEHOLDS BY PROVIDING SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. UNDER THIS ARRANGEMENT, OUR NEIGHBORS' PLACE SERVES AS A REFERRAL SOURCE FOR THE TBRA PROGRAM, AND WESTCAP PROVIDES PROGRAM OPERATIONS FUNCTIONS. ONP SCREENS ALL APPLICANTS, DETERMINES ELIGIBILITY, COMPLETES CERTIFICATION OF HOMELESSNESS; SECURES MEDICAL STATEMENT OF DISABILITY; REFERS PROGRAM APPLICANTS TO OTHER COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES INCLUDING APPLYING FOR SECTION 8 HOUSING ASSISTANCE; COMPLETES ALL PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION; SECURES STATEMENT OF EARNINGS; AND COMPLETES MONTHLY SERVICE REPORTS. WESTCAP PROVIDES SECURITY DEPOSITS AND THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS; PAYS HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS TO LANDLORDS ON BEHALF OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS; CONDUCTS HOUSING INSPECTIONS; ASSISTS IN NEGOTIATING LEASE CHANGES AND EVICTIONS; ASSISTS IN HANDLING LANDLORD/TENANT COMPLAINTS; AND CONDUCTS RE-CERTIFICATIONS. WESTCAP AND OUR NEIGHBORS' PLACE COORDINATE AND INTEGRATE THE TBRA PROGRAM WITH OTHER MAINSTREAM RESOURCES, INCLUDING HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS FOR WHICH OUR CLIENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS MAY BE ELIGIBLE. THESE SERVICES ARE COORDINATED THROUGH FORMAL AND INFORMAL SYSTEMS AMONG AREA SERVICE PROVIDERS. THIS YEAR (2021), 38 HOUSEHOLDS WERE PLACED IN HOUSING AFTER DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE CASE MANAGER. OF THESE: 5 HOUSEHOLDS WERE HOUSED VIA TBRA (TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE). 6 FAMILIES WERE HOUSED VIA OUR NEIGHBORS' PLACE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR FAMILIES. 106 HOUSEHOLDS WERE ASSISTED THROUGH HOUSING COUNSELING APPOINTMENTS WITH OUR CASE MANAGER.

DAY CENTER FUNCTIONING AS A DROP-IN CENTER FOR THOSE IN NEED, THE DAY CENTER IS STAFFED BY VOLUNTEER GUEST COORDINATORS, A CASE MANAGER, AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THIS DAY CENTER TEAM FUNCTIONS AS ADVOCATE "NAVIGATORS," HELPING CONNECT APPLICABLE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES WITH THOSE WHO CALL OR COME BY IN PERSON. THE DAY CENTER SUPPORTS ALL OTHER PROGRAMMING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS' PLACE (BACKPACK PROGRAM, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, AND THE CLOSET) WHILE ALSO PROVIDING A MEETING SPACE FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS WESTCAP AND PIERCE COUNTY VETERANS OFFICE. WITH THIS FULL-TIME TEAM IN PLACE, ONP HAS IMPROVED AND STREAMLINED CONTINUITY OF SERVICE IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS FOR MUCH GREATER DAY CENTER SERVICE UTILIZATION. IN 2021, WE HAD A HIGH LEVEL OF USAGE WITH 4,085 POINTS OF CONTACT. IN TERMS OF RESOURCES PROVIDED, WE HAVE WITNESSED NOTEWORTHY INCREASES ACROSS SEVERAL CATEGORIES. THE NUMBER OF FOOD RESOURCES PROVIDED REMAINED HIGH IN 2021 AT 740 POINTS OF CONTACT. THIS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS OUR NEIGHBOR'S PLACE HAS FORGED WITH BOTH PANERA BREAD (HUDSON WI LOCATION), PIERCE COUNTY HUNGER PREVENTION COUNCIL, THE RIVER FALLS COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY, AND YMCA CAMP ST CROIX - ALL OF WHICH DONATE ON A REGULAR BASIS. IN OTHER SERVICE CATEGORIES, THE NUMBER OF REFERRALS TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES WAS ALSO UP. SERVICE CATEGORIES INCLUDE SHOWER (88), LAUNDRY (61), RESOURCE REFERRALS (754), THE DAY CENTER ALSO DISPENSED 94 GAS CARDS AND 30 TAXI VOUCHERS TO HELP WITH TRANSPORTATION TO EMPLOYMENT AND MEDICAL VISITS. FINALLY, THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS UTILIZING CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND SHELTER REFERRALS AGAIN INCREASED OVER 2020 (690). MOREOVER, AS WE CONTINUE TO CATER TO THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN, WE OFFER BOTH HOPE AND A TANGIBLE RESPONSE TO THE GROWING PROBLEM OF CHILDHOOD POVERTY IN WISCONSIN. THE DAY CENTER ALSO CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A PICKUP LOCATION FOR THE BACKPACK PROGRAM IN 2021.

BACKPACK PROGRAM THE OUR NEIGHBOR'S PLACE BACKPACK PROGRAM, A DURABLE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND EZEKIEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, CONTINUED TO BE OUR MOST VISIBLE COMMUNITY PROGRAM. THE ROTARY CLUB AND OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS AND FOUNDATIONS GAVE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THIS PROGRAM OVER THE COURSE OF 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR. THE PROGRAM ALSO CONTINUES TO BOAST THE MOST VOLUNTEERS OF ANY ONP PROGRAM. THESE BACKPACKS DELIVER ENOUGH FOOD FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR FOR ONE WEEKEND EACH WEEK DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. IN 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR, THE PROGRAM HAD OVER 90 STUDENTS ENROLLED. FROM SEPT 2020 - MAY 2021, WE DELIVERED 2,261 BACKPACKS. THOSE BACKPACKS INCLUDED 16,544 POUNDS OF NON-PERISHABLE FOOD AND 2,300 VOUCHERS FOR PERISHABLE FOOD (MILK, BREAD, MEAT, PRODUCE, EGGS). ADDITIONALLY, 2021 CONTINUED THE SUMMER BACKPACK PROGRAM. PARTNERING WITH THE RIVER FALLS LIONS CLUB (WHO PROVIDED FUNDING AND VOLUNTEERS), THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM WAS EXTENDED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. FROM JUNE - AUGUST 2021, 200 BACKPACKS WERE DISTRIBUTED. THOSE BACKPACKS INCLUDED 1,364 POUNDS OF FOOD AND VOUCHERS FOR PERISHABLE FOOD (MILK, BREAD, MEAT, PRODUCE, EGGS).

COMMUNITY CLOSET CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH FREE AND REDUCED PRICE CLOTHING IS THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF THE ONP COMMUNITY CLOSET. THE CLOSET AT 122 W. JOHNSON ST. PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT COMPLEMENTARY SERVICE TO THE CORE FUNCTION OF THE DAY CENTER. OFTEN, CLIENTS PRESENT THEMSELVES AT THE DAY CENTER WITHOUT SUFFICIENT CLOTHING TO MEET THEIR DAILY LIVING NEEDS. THE ABILITY TO WALK DOWN THE HALLWAY TO THE CLOSET AND OFFER CLIENTS HIGH-QUALITY GARMENTS THEY CAN FEEL PROUD TO WEAR HELPS FULFILL THE ONP MISSION. IN 2021, THE CLOSET PROVIDED 550 FREE CLOTHING VOUCHERS TO CLIENTS.