Investments to Address Homelessness and Assist the Unsheltered Population

April 2024 - Published in: 2024 Spring Newsletter - Homelessness has been a growing issue nationally for years, and recently the amount of people who struggle to find and keep housing in the local communities has risen dramatically. That is why MSCF has made a concerted effort to support organizations working on this issue, including projects that bring awareness to the growing challenges and programs that provide food to those who need it. In 2023, MSCF awarded 18 grants to organizations serving and supporting people who are experiencing homelessness, totaling $40,065; 18 immediate response grants totaling $8,583 were also awarded, which supported residents in the community with housing assistance.

Some grants were awarded to organizations that provide immediate and basic needs to their clients, such as St. Vincent De Paul Mission of Bristol for their cold weather overflow shelter, or The Agape House for food to serve during the holiday season. These organizations provide support to those who need it and create a place where they can find community. Other organizations received grants for programs that address homelessness directly, like the Southington Manna Fund, Inc. that helps displaced Southington residents find emergency housing.

One organization received grants that benefitted their projects that work to raise awareness and educate the public on the issue of homelessness in Connecticut. Productions for Change, which provides full-service video production to nonprofits, was awarded $11,650 in grants from MSCF in 2023. These grants helped fund the creation of promotional videos for The Agape House as well as to support the creation of the docuseries “No Way To Live.” These videos show the personal stories and lives of some of the thousands of people in Connecticut who are unsheltered, putting a face and voice to an often-overlooked population, as well as the lives of the volunteers that work to support them.

The issue of homelessness is a multifaceted one that must be addressed from multiple angles. The organizations supported by MSCF all bring something different to the table - whether that is securing someone temporary housing, providing a hot meal, or increasing awareness about the prevalence of homelessness locally. Despite the varied approaches, all efforts are equally important to meeting the needs of unsheltered community members and working towards finding solutions to homelessness.

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A premiere for the docuseries “No Way To Live” was recently held on March 2 at the Rockwell Theater at the Bristol Arts and Innovation Magnet School to share these moving stories with the community and inspire others to commit to driving positive change. To view the series, visit www.productionsforchange.org/no-way-to-live.