Several Hall County organizations that help homeless people are searching for state and federal funds to extend their programs.

More than 20 community members attended a recent homeless funding meeting at the Gainesville-Hall County Community Service Center to hear about the federal Emergency Solutions grant, which provides dollars for homeless prevention and rapid re-housing.

“A good number of people were attending for the first time, which is great because these federal funding applications can be complicated,” said Phillippa Moss, director of the Community Service Center and Hall County’s homeless services coordinator. “The most interesting aspect of homeless services right now is the change in pre-homelessness and the widening gap between the haves and have-nots. It’s really going to show here in Hall County.”

Georgia is expected to receive $4.3 million for the Emergency Solutions grant, though Congress hasn’t yet allocated the funds. Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs will split about $2 million among 153 of Georgia’s 159 counties, and $2.2 million will go to the State Housing Trust Fund to help programs statewide.

“The grant is the next phase of the homeless prevention and rapid re-housing grant we’re currently operating under, which will help us to target households in imminent danger of eviction,” said Shawn Howell, a coordinator at Ninth District Opportunity. “It helps to provide assistance for a three-month period, and though this grant is a tremendously smaller amount than the first program, we can target the same people.”

Several groups asked how to help homeless people obtain driver’s licenses, search for benefits or get help for substance abuse problems.

“I think people see a lack of availability when it come to detox and mental health services here,” Moss said. “Many shelters are also gender specific, and several groups want to keep families intact.”

The groups also talked about their next steps in forming the Hall County Homeless Coalition.

 Moss hopes to hold a conference this summer to bring statewide homeless coordinators to Hall County to share their experiences.

“I’d hate for everyone to reinvent the wheel when they could hear presenters who are known for homeless assistance services and best practices,” she said. “They could also create a one- to three-year strategic plan for homeless services in the county because right now it’s all over the place.”

In the interim, the coalition meetings are a great place to make connections.

“I talked to people at Avita (Community Partners) and the Salvation Army, and now we have phone numbers we can use from time to time,” said Jason Ladd, co-founder of Under the Bridge Ministries. “We’re still looking for a place to have a shelter and are trying to learn about the rehab and detox programs here, so it’s great to know who we can call around here for help.”