SERVICES
Through the decades, ACCESS Housing has provided a wide variety of services. Today, to meet the needs and current economic environment, ACCESS Housing is operating three core programs and is looking to expand our menu of services in the coming years with extended community support.
Our three overarching programs today:
- Transitional Housing (i.e. family shelter units) with Wrap Around programs,
- Direct Assistance during this pandemic related to rental, mortgage and utility assistance via an application process, and
- Food Pantry & Hygiene Packets for those involved in any of our other programs as well as homeless walk-ups coming from the Sandy Creek trail encampments.
OUR PROGRAMS
This program provides emergency and transitional housing to low-income TANF eligible families with the goal of transitioning families into stable housing during a 9-week period. During their stay, ACCESS Case Management helps families identify any barriers preventing them from finding stable housing and works with them and ACCESS’s network to identify low-income public housing and other affordable housing options. ACCESS conducts comprehensive intake assessments with all families in the shelter in order to refer families to ACHSD services such as food assistance, clothing assistance, LEAP, TANF, and services offered through the Workforce and Business Center. Our Family Shelter Program also provides hygiene packs, a food pantry, laundry vouchers, and eventually an on-property laundry facility for all families participating in the program.
This program provides direct assistance funds to clients for emergency rent, mortgage, mobile home assistance, and utility needs in order to prevent evictions and utility disconnections to ensure that families who are already housed remain housed. ACCESS conducts comprehensive intake assessments in its Homeless Prevention Program in order to refer families to ACHSD services such as food assistance, clothing assistance, LEAP, TANF, and services offered through the Workforce and Business Center. In addition to ACCESS’s overarching focus on families, there are two underlying demographics that ACCESS has been serving under this program and will continue to do so: 1.) domestic violence victims, and 2.) veterans needing first month’s rent and deposit assistance.
3. (NEW) Multi-focused Family Literacy Center
Our newest programs, coming this fall will provide skill-based development services to every individual within a family structure. Whether basic reading, parenting skills, financial budgeting and/or computer skills, family members need to enhance their life skills to be able to maintain housing and a safe and secure family base long term. ACCESS is revamping our learning center to provide computer access, skill training services and reading/tutoring programs to all families and individuals across our shelter and rental assistance network. This center will assist with job searches, accessing public benefits, resume prep, tutoring efforts for elementary students, reading efforts related to kindergarten readiness, GED classes and even SAT/college prep services for high school students within the ACCESS community. Using a combination of subject matter experts either in-person or remotely along with our team’s scheduled case management follow-ups, the literacy center is focused on all of the supportive services that build life-skills for long-term success.