The Homeless Service Provider's Network (HSPN) outreach/fundraising committee called "Rise-Up for Homes" is sponsoring this year's New Bedford Connect, a one-day event that brings together, in a single location, a wide variety of community volunteers, vital resources and services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless. Direct services will be provide on site, free of charge to all seeking assistance. The goal of New Bedford Connect is to provide easy access to these services and resources that [ Continue reading. ]
COC COMPETITION IS NOW OPEN!
COC COMPETITION MA-505 COC RFP NOW AVAILABLE! On Friday, September 10, 2021, the City of New Bedford’s Continuum of Care (CoC), acting through the Office of Housing & Community Development, issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) that includes instructions and both new and renewal application forms for 2021 funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The RFP is available in fillable format here: MA-505 COC RFP 2021. Application deadline is Friday, October 1, 2021 at 12noon as detailed in the RFP. The linked RFP [ Continue reading. ]
COC COMPETITION TIMELINE 2021
The 2021 Continuum of Care (CoC) funding competition in New Bedford’s CoC runs through the November deadline set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Check out the competition timeline for 2021 here: 2021 COMPETITION TIMELINE [ Continue reading. ]
MOVING FORWARD…HSPN Adopted Strategies
At its July 2021 HSPN meeting, attendees heard and reviewed an initial presentation addressing the New Bedford continuum’s “System Performance Measures” which reflected how well all ESG and CoC-funded programming within the New Bedford CoC had performed in the aggregate or, as a "system" in 2020. The review looked at how New Bedford’s performance compared with adjoining CoCs (Fall River and GBCATCH), other statewide CoCs and continuums of similar size across the whole country. A copy of the unabridged version of that powerpoint presentation is [ Continue reading. ]
2021 STREETSHEETS ARE AVAILABLE
The City of New Bedford's Office of Housing & Community Development has released the 2021 StreetSheet. Go to the HSPN Resource Page to access a copy of the sheet in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Hard copies of the StreetSheets are also available upon request by contacting Jennifer.Clarke@newbedford-ma.gov. (Copies will be available for distribution once City of New Bedford's municipal office hours resume full time.) [ Continue reading. ]
2021 POINT IN TIME NUMBERS RELEASED!
The City of New Bedford has once again conducted its annual “Point In Time” (PIT) count creating a census of those individuals and families experiencing homelessness within the city, both sheltered (living in emergency or transitional housing) and unsheltered (on the streets/in places not meant for human habitation). Concurrent with that is the development of the city's "Housing Inventory Count" (HIC) that provides an inventory of specific emergency, transitional and permanent housing opportunities for those experiencing homelessness in New [ Continue reading. ]
2021 HSPN MEMBERSHIP NOW OPEN!
If you're interested in joining the City of New Bedford's Homeless Service Provider Network (HSPN), now is your opportunity! The 2021 HSPN Membership Form is available here in a convenient fillable format. Simply complete the application and either mail it in to Jennifer.Clarke@newbedford-ma.gov or drop it in the mail to the HSPN c/o the City of New Bedford's Office of Housing & Community Development, 608 Pleasant Street, New Bedford MA 02740. All received applications will be presented to the HSPN's Executive Committee for final review and [ Continue reading. ]
SISTER ROSE AWARD 2020 ANNOUNCED
The HSPN presented its Annual Sister Rose Award for 2020 to Danielle Brown with Steppingstone during its virtual December HSPN membership meeting. The award recognizes an outstanding current or former member of the New Bedford HSPN or member agency staff and is named in honor of its first recipient, Sister Rose Ellen Gallogly, former Executive Director of Market Ministries (renamed the Sister Rose House) and one of the founding members of the HSPN. Danielle received multiple nominations for the prestigious award and was unanimously voted as recipient [ Continue reading. ]
RESOURCE SNAPSHOT for COVID VACCINATIONS
There's a tremendous amount of information that has recently been made available relative to the availability of COVID-19 vaccinations. But what about those experiencing homelessness? Whether you are unsheltered or sheltered, or if you operate a program for those experiencing homelessness, be sure to take a look at this "Resource Snapshot" that presents some introductory information as to resources available to you online. Take a look at the RESOURCE SNAPSHOT.Homelessness and the Covid Vaccine here! [ Continue reading. ]
The New Bedford Rent Help website (NBRENTHELP.COM) is up and running!
A new website is now up and running specifically identifying New Bedford-based resources needed in the wake of COVID. The "New Bedford COVID Housing Resources" website reflects a collaborative effort between PACE, the HSPN, South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Catholic Social Services and NeighborWorks Housing Solutions. Resources include those around rental/mortgage assistance, legal assistance, finding shelter, utility assistance and food access. The site is easy to navigate and provides translated information in both Portuguese and Spanish. [ Continue reading. ]
