Housing Team Concludes Donation Drive

The housing team at the Institute for Disability Studies recently concluded their major household goods donation drive that ran April-May of this year. These dedicated ladies were able to secure over a hundred items ranging from everyday essentials such as toilet paper and toothpaste to larger necessities like mattresses and dining sets. The donated goods are being dispersed to families with children in the Project Recovery Rapid Re-Housing Program which secures safe, stable housing for families experiencing crises such as homelessness or living in a location unfit for human settlement.

The Rapid Re-Housing Program is designed to quickly re-house and stabilize families who would remain otherwise homeless without assistance. The case managers at IDS work diligently to ensure families remain stably housed even after temporary assistance ends, often connecting them with other community resources, helping secure employment, providing educational opportunities, and even arranging medical care when necessary. The housing team at IDS also assist with life skills training including, but not limited to, money and household management, individualized budget counseling, nutrition, and parenting skills.

The Rapid Re-Housing Program is a project of the Institute for Disability Studies housed on the campus of USM, administered by the Mississippi United to End Homelessness Continuum of Care, and funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Although the housing team’s major spring donation drive has ended with much success, monetary and goods donations are accepted year-round. There is a great need for continued support to ensure that otherwise unsheltered families in the Pine Belt have the goods they need at home to live healthy, fulfilling lives. For more information on Project Recovery, contact Executive Coordinator for Housing Tracy Coleman at 601-266-6063 or tracy.coleman@usm.edu.