Spring 2022 E3 Grants Recommendation
Focus: Support for those facing the challenges of housing insecurity
Number of Grantees: 6
Total: $10,000
The United Effort Organization
Finding housing is an arduous task for unhoused people and those who help them, given the sheer volume of information. We are in the process of upgrading our Affordable Housing Database from SQL to Airtable to provide more flexibility and search functions. Our existing database is already popular among case managers and volunteers in Santa Clara County. Once a month, we compile and release a list of affordable housing open waitlists. We see an average of more than 1,670% increase in page views after the release in the last two months. There is room for improvement to make our database more user-friendly. This enhanced database will continue to benefit all the nonprofits in the County and certainly the unhoused population.
Recommended Grant: $2,000
WeHOPE:
Housing application fees present a barrier to people experiencing homelessness, as they often have to choose between food and paying the fee. WeHOPE's outreach case managers visit homeless encampments and assist people living in WeHOPE's RV Safe Parking to move into permanent housing. WeHOPE will provide rental application fees to people experiencing housing insecurity to eliminate the fee barrier and enable individuals and families to return to stable housing more quickly.
Recommended Grant: $2,000
Dayworker Center of Mountain View:
Housing insecurity is made worse by the very high housing costs. Many residents have no home and sleep in their vehicles. The funds will be used to help the homeless, including vehicle dwellers, providing backpacks containing warm socks and various accessories and toiletries for both men and women, which will be a big help for those who are trying to survive while looking for work and basic housing.
Recommended Grant: $2,000
Hope’s Corner
Hope's Corner addresses food insufficiency and health/hygienic issues, which affect individuals and families impacted by housing insecurity. Our meal program helps those who may have to choose between paying rent and buying food. Our shower/laundry program offers homeless individuals the use of showers and to have their clothes laundered onsite. Funding will help cover general operating expenses for the following:
For our meal program, expenses include the cost of food items that we cannot obtain from food banks and donations (e.g., cheese sticks, fruit cups, granola bars). Meal program expenses also include the cost of consumables (e.g., take-out boxes, utensils).
For our shower/laundry program, expenses include the cost of shower supplies (e.g., cleaning products, new undergarments), laundry supplies (e.g., detergent), and utilities. And for costs to keep our programs operating, including facilities use fees, delivery van expenses, bookkeeping, and similar expenses.
Recommended Grant: $2,000
MOVE Mountain View
Vehicle dwellers in our community face special challenges.
Families and individuals need caseworker support. School-age youth lack access to books. This grant will support the transformation of a donated RV into a Mobile office and a BookMobile to provide books and technology access to kids, families and individuals at all of the Safe Lots we manage, and for caseworkers to meet with residents to help them achieve sustainable work and housing (rather than standing on the asphalt with no privacy or weather protection, as is the current challenge). The funds are to be used to cover costs to accomplish the refurbishing of the donated RV we will use for the CareMobile/BookMobile. (Budget = $8,600).
Recommended Grant: $1,000
Reach Potential Movement
Reach Potential removes barriers to access, bringing food and housing information right to where people are: Safe Lots, RVs, and vehicles parked on streets, schools, and low-income high-density apartments. RPM plans to use the funds for an "extreme vehicle makeover" for a newly purchased used shuttle bus that will be converted into a mobile food pantry bringing fresh produce, staples, and other necessities (diapers, formula). We will help remove transportation and food barrier access for the housing insecure and working poor. The funds are to be used to cover costs to accomplish the refurbishing of the mobile food pantry and a Dia del los Nios launch event for RV residents (Budget = $8,300).
Recommended Grant: $1,000
