FELLOWSHIP PLACE INC

DURING FY24-25 FELLOWSHIP PLACE CONTINUED TO SEE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS SEEKING SERVICES FROM THE FELLOWSHIP INN, THE AGENCY'S DAYTIME DROP-IN PROGRAM. THE INN PROVIDED BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, SHOWERS, AND LAUNDRY SERVICES FOR 863 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS AND INTENSE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR 99 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS. A MAJORITY OF THE HOMELESS SERVED ARE UNSHELTERED AND SLEEP OUTDOORS ON MOST NIGHTS. THE INN ASSISTS THE HOMELESS WITH SECURING PHOTO IDS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING APPLICATIONS, REFERRALS TO BEHAVIORAL AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, AND ASSISTANCE WITH COMPLETING APPLICATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS. UNTREATED MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE ARE MAJOR CHALLENGES FOR THIS CLIENT POPULATION. AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE IS ABOUT 60 INDIVIDUALS.IN RESPONSE TO THE GROWING NUMBER OF UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS AND THE LACK OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FELLOWSHIP PLACE SOUGHT FUNDS TO DEVELOP A NEW PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT. THIS YEAR THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN SELECTED THE AGENCY TO RECEIVE A SITE ACQUISITION GRANT OF $350,000. A BUILDING HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR THE PROJECT WITH A CLOSING DATE PLANNED FOR FALL 2025. AFTER MODERATE RENOVATIONS, THE BUILDING WILL PROVIDE THIRTEEN UNITS OF HOUSING. PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO INDIVIDUALS AGED 60 AND UP. THE ELDERLY MAKE UP THE LARGEST GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE GREATER NEW HAVEN AREA. THE NEW HOUSING PROJECT WILL ADD THIRTEEN UNITS TO THE EXISTING 45 OFFERED BY THE AGENCY, BRINGING THE TOTAL UP TO 58 UNITS.OTHER CORE PROGRAMS INCLUDE SOCIAL REHABILITATION, WHICH SERVED 391 INDIVIDUALS AND CAREER SERVICES, WHICH HELPED 217 INDIVIDUALS RETURN TO SCHOOL OR FIND EMPLOYMENT IN THE COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE. CLIENTS SERVED WERE PLACED IN JOBS AT EMPLOYERS SUCH AS YALE NEW HAVEN HOSPITAL, TOWN FAIR TIRE, AMAZON, AND LOCAL NON-PROFIT AGENCIES.SOME ADDITIONAL NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR INCLUDED:1. THE SOCIAL REHAB PROGRAM EXPANDED ITS EVENING HOURS AND IS NOW OPEN UNTIL 8PM MONDAY-THURSDAY. EVENING PROGRAMMING INCLUDES AA MEETINGS ON MONDAY, NA MEETINGS ON WEDNESDAY, DROP-IN SOCIAL HOURS FOR EXISTING CLIENTS ON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, AND A CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP ON THURSDAY.2. THE EXPRESSIVE ARTS PROGRAM HAD AN ART EXHIBIT AT NEW HAVEN CITY HALL IN MAY FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. TWELVE ARTISTS FROM THE PROGRAM DISPLAYED THEIR WORK AND SPOKE AT THE MAYOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT THE ROLE ART HAS PLAYED IN THEIR RECOVERY.3. THE MEAL PROGRAM ADDRESSED FOOD INSECURITY BY PROVIDING APPROXIMATELY 60,000 FREE AND WELL-BALANCED MEALS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTEND ACTIVITIES ON THE AGENCY'S CAMPUS.4. THROUGH AN AGENCY COLLABORATION WITH YALE UNIVERSITY STUDENT VOLUNTEERS TRAINED BY THE IRS, 37 INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING MANY FIRST-TIME FILERS, HAD THEIR INCOME TAX FORMS PREPARED FOR FREE.5. THE AGENCY SERVED AS AN APPLICATION SITE FOR THE RENTERS REBATE PROGRAM, A STATE FUNDED PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES A REBATE TO LOW-INCOME ELDERLY AND DISABLED RESIDENTS WHO PAID RENT IN CONNECTICUT DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR. SEVENTY-SIX INDIVIDUALS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM AND RECEIVED REBATES RANGING FROM $10 TO $700 TO HELP STRETCH THEIR LIMITED BUDGETS.FELLOWSHIP PLACE SERVES A DIVERSE RACIAL AND ETHNIC CLIENTELE, REFLECTIVE OF THE BROADER NEW HAVEN COMMUNITY. FORTY-SEVEN % OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED IDENTIFY AS WHITE, AND 38% IDENTIFY AS BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN; 20% IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC. MORE THAN 90% OF THE PEOPLE SERVED HAVE A LOW OR VERY LOW INCOME FROM GOVERNMENT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS SUCH AS SSI, SSDI, STATE ADMINISTERED GENERAL ASSISTANCE, AND/OR MINIMUM WAGE JOBS. IN FY24-25, AGENCY-WIDE MORE THAN 1500 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED.