The Springfield City Council recently approved a $934,419 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to CHD and the Gandara Center for these agencies’ Coordinated Entry and Navigation Project to prevent homelessness among youth and young adults between the ages of 18 and 24.

The grant funds the Hampden County Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry Housing Helpline (413-316-4979), which is staffed by a combined team from CHD and the Gandara Center. “CHD has been the recipient of this funding for the past five years and, in partnership with Gandara, has developed this one-stop phone number for youth so they don’t have to get shuttled around from provider to provider,” said Keith Hedlund, CHD program director of Homeless Youth Support & Stabilization. “Once youth call the Helpline they get matched with a housing navigator, who stays with them until they are housed.”

Those who leave a message on the Housing Helpline will have their call returned within 24 hours. The grant money also provides rental assistance for the youth served. “We are very lucky to have three extremely dedicated team members in Amanda Vega, Madison Fischetto, and Monica Wright staffing the Housing Helpline and working with these extremely marginalized youth,” said Hedlund. “Many of those we serve are handed off to our Rapid Rehousing program, which provides rent-free housing for two full years, while the youth get on their feet, obtain a job, or go to school.”

CHD Children and Families Program Caseworkers Erica Cosme and Cliff Fontanez, assisted by Housing Specialist Steve Acevedo, and led by Program Manager Jean Rogers, ensure that youth in the Rapid Rehousing program have the tools they need to leave the program permanently housed.

CHD takes a coordinated approach to assist these youth by using a number of evidence-based programs that offer wraparound casework services, so that youth can connect with community resources to get the additional support they need to find housing.