Project Grant 23560HV000038

PURPOSE OF PROJECT: SOUTHWEST HOUSING SOLUTIONS (SWHS), A 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, PROPOSES TO SERVE URBAN HOMELESS VETERANS UNDER THE HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAM (HVRP). SWHS PROPOSES TO SERVE HOMELESS VETERANS RESIDING IN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS 9, 10 AND 12. THESE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS REPRESENT THE SURROUNDING WAYNE COUNTY, MACOMB ST. CLAIR COUNTY AREA, SPECIFICALLY, WAYNE AND MACOMB, ST. CLAIR, COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SWHS WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO ASSIST IN REINTEGRATING HOMELESS VETERANS INTO MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE LABOR FORCE, AND TO STIMULATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEMS THAT WILL ADDRESS THE COMPLEX PROBLEMS FACING HOMELESS VETERANS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: OUTREACH, ASSESSMENT AND INTAKE, EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES, AND FOLLOW-UP SERVICES TO ENHANCE PLACEMENT AND RETENTION IN EMPLOYMENT. JOB PLACEMENT AND RETENTION SERVICES, JOB TRAINING, COUNSELING, MENTORING, SUPPORT SERVICES, AND FINANCIAL COACHING WILL BE PROVIDED TO EACH PARTICIPANT. SWHS PARTNERS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE MENTORING, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES, HOUSING, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, AND OTHER ASSISTANCE TO BETTER REINTEGRATE HOMELESS VETERANS INTO THE LABOR FORCE.ACTIVITIES TO BE FUNDED BY GRANT: SWES HAS TWO CORE OBJECTIVES THAT ALIGN WITH THE HVRP GOALS. THE TIRST IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO INTEGRATE HOMELESS VETERANS INTO MEANINGTUL EMPLOYMENT. SWES WILL PROVIDE CONNECTIONS WITH MICHIGAN WORKS AMERICAN JOB CENTERS IN MACOMB COUNTY FOR OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING. FINDING VETERAN FRIENDLY EMPLOYERS WILL BE KEY FOR JOB PLACEMENT. FOR THOSE WHO NEED ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND FOR US TO GAUGE JOB READINESS WE WILL WORK WITH THE ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY SUCH AS WARREN WOODS, L ANSE CREUSE, STERLING HEIGHTS AND UTICA. IN ADDITION, FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND DIGITAL LITERACY WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE SERVICES. SECOND, WITH SERVICES IN MACOMB COUNTY, WE WILL DEVELOP A SYSTEM THAT WILL ALLEVIATE DUPLICATION AND REDUNDANCY OF TASKS NEEDED FOR VETERANS TO RECEIVE SERVICES WHILE MOVING TO SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING. USING PARTNERS SUCH AS VETS RETURNING HOME WILL BE CRITICAL WITH VETERANS WHO NEED SHELTER. SWES S MODEL IS A VETERAN-CENTERED APPROACH USING THE INDIVIDUALIZED EMPLOYMENT PLAN (IEP) TOOL TO HELP TARGET STRENGTHS AND GAPS IN BARRIERS TO SUCCESS. OUR CASE MANAGER WILL BE A RESOURCE NAVIGATOR WITH CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES SUCH AS EDUCATION, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND NEEDS FOR BARRIER MITIGATION. FOLLOW-UP SERVICES AND CONNECTIONS WILL BE MAINTAINED TO ENSURE SUCCESS IN LONG TERM EMPLOYMENT AND FOR ECONOMIC STABILITY.INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROJECT: HVRP PROGRAM WILL BENEFIT VETERANS WHO ARE HOMELESS, MEN, WOMEN, VETERANS WITH CHILDREN, INCARCERTATED VETERANS AND THOSE WHO MEET THE CRITERIA OF THE GRANT. IN ADDITION, WE SEE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES TO INCLUDE MICHIGAN WORK OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT: FOR THIS HVRP OPPORTUNITY, SWES PROPOSES TO ENROLL 82 HOMELESS VETERANS PER YEAR ENROLL 65 HOMELESS VETERANS INTO JOB TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMMING. THIS INCLUDES SKILLED TRADES, TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED THROUGH THE NEEDS ANALYSIS FROM THE MACOMB COUNTY ST. CLAIR AMERICAN JOB CENTER HOT EMPLOYMENT TRENDS. SWES WILL PLACE 70 OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS INTO EMPLOYMENT FROM JULY 1, 2023 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2024. KEY PARTNERSHIPS: MACOMB ISD-ADULT EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP, MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, SSVF, RETURNING HOME-VETERANS FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES IN HOUSING, SOUTHWEST COUNSELING SOLUTIONS, HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER, MICHIGAN WORKS AMERICAN JOB CENTER MACOMB AND ST. CLAIR COUNTY, SACHSE CONSTRUCTION FOR INTERVIEW AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITES, IF APPLICABLE: NARECIPIENT OF OTHER FUNDING: NA