Fund for Homeless Women Tops $1 Million Granted

The Fund for Homeless Women (FHW) of the Community Foundation for Monterey County has topped $1 million in cumulative grantmaking. Since the fund began awarding grants in 2014, it has distributed 43 grants to 11 different nonprofit organizations totaling $1,149,110. The $230,000 awarded in 2018 to seven organizations in December 2018 helped the fund reach the grantmaking milestone. Fund organizers aim to end homelessness for local women.

The Fund for Homeless Women is thrilled to have facilitated the investment of over $1 million dollars from over 1,000 community members in Monterey County and around the country,” said Michael Reid, who, along with Kathy Wilden and Marian Penn, co-founded the Fund for Homeless Women.

FHW Provides Assistance & Case Management

The Fund for Homeless Women grants support emergency assistance, meals, clothing, safe parking, shelter and housing. Grants also support case management services for homeless women including seniors and those with mental illness. The FHW began in 2012 by concerned citizens who encountered homeless women living in fear and desperation in the Monterey Peninsula. They created a fund at the Community Foundation for Monterey County, support flowed in, and the fund began making grants in 2014 to nonprofit organizations working to provide basic needs of food, clothing and shelter to unsheltered and unaccompanied women.

“Together, we are creating change in the landscape of information and much needed services for women living without adequate shelter,” said Reid. Reid is the author of “No Vacancy: Homeless Women in Paradise,” which takes a deep look into the complexities of homelessness and his story of deciding to act to form the Fund for Homeless Women.

Improving Lives

Grants from the Fund for Homeless Women have improved lives. Support has been instrumental in increasing income for more than 50 women, providing housing for over 100, and serving approximately 1,500 women living without adequate shelter. With the inception of new service programs, there are now an additional 500 volunteers engaged in meeting this important community need.

“Grant funding provides support in emergencies so that homeless women in the program can at worst, continue to remain stable in their vehicle and at best, find permanent and stable housing,” noted Dr. Tia Sukin, founder and director, One Starfish Safe Parking and Supportive Services. “Without the support of the Fund for Homeless Women, Gathering for Women would not have had the resources to open our doors,” added Carol Greenwald, former board president of Gathering for Women.

2018 Grantees

The Fund for Homeless Women 2018 Grantees are:
• Community Church of the Monterey Peninsula – $5,000 for emergency assistance (e.g., grocery gift cards, health and personal care items) and referrals to services and providers
• Community Homeless Solutions – $50,000 for Women in Transition, its transitional housing program
• Community Human Services – $5,000 for emergency assistance (e.g., work/school clothes and supplies, car repairs, etc.)
• Gathering for Women-Monterey – $50,000 for day center program, emergency assistance and data collaborative (a new effort to collect and monitor client needs and available services, which will complement the countywide point-in-time count and coordinated assessment and referral system)
• Interim, Inc. – $10,000 for short-term motel vouchers and rent subsidies
• Orphan Productions – $60,000 for its One Starfish Safe Parking program
• Outreach Unlimited – $50,000 for short-term housing and meals through I-HELP for Women program

Impact

In addition to grantmaking, the FHW has become a leader for community education and advocacy on behalf of women who are homeless on the Monterey Peninsula. The FHW has helped raise the visibility of our area’s high cost of living coupled with the lack of affordable housing and commissioned a report on women living without shelter in 2016.

The comprehensive report, titled “Homeless Women on the Monterey Peninsula can be found at  dev.cfmco.org/FHW.

The report found that more than 2,700 women live in Monterey County without adequate shelter or at risk of being homeless  and more than 6,000 children do not have adequate housing.
The community’s generosity has allowed the Fund for Homeless Women to begin building its endowment. The power of endowment is that in time, CFMC’s grants will exceed the original amount of the endowed gifts. Individuals, families and businesses can contribute online or by check, or through their will or trust.

The FHW is a field of interest fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County. To contribute or for more information visit dev.cfmco.org/FHW or www.fundforhomelesswomen.org.

About the Fund for Homeless Women

The Fund for Homeless Women (FHW) was established to help create and support services for unsheltered women on the Monterey Peninsula. They convene monthly community meetings of the “Friends of Homeless Women” for community building, awareness, education and networking. Learn more or give at www.fundforhomelesswomen.org.

About the Community Foundation for Monterey County

The Community Foundation for Monterey County granted $16.7 million in 2017 to more than 400 nonprofits. The mission of the Community Foundation for Monterey County is to inspire philanthropy and be a catalyst for strengthening communities throughout Monterey County. For more information, please call (831) 375-9712, visit dev.cfmco.org, or stay connected at www.facebook.com/cfmco.