Sixteen Montgomery organizations have united to offer individual services for people who are unhoused under one roof.
The Hub allows people who are homeless to seek help without traveling to multiple locations across town, said Ken Austin, who helps run the center. The city and county partnered to allocate $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to the program. That money is divided between the 16 organizations over two years.
The dollars do not stretch very far, meaning the organizations must pony up and fund much of the services themselves.
The 16 organizations:
- The MAP Center provided the location for the Hub. It also provides rapid re-housing and rental assistance programs.
- The Family Guidance Center provides intake services for clients at the Hub.
- The Mid-Alabama Coalition for the Homeless provides rapid re-housing as well as street outreach and homelessness prevention services.
- The Friendship Mission supplies emergency shelter services for individual people and families experiencing homelessness. It also offers meals, basic necessities and case management to people in need.
- The Beacon Center teaches people health literacy as well as provides counseling services through Samaritan Counseling and health screenings through Holiday Smile.
- Quiet Storm Outreach Group performs street outreach, connecting with homeless people where they are.
- Trenholm State Community College offers adult education including GED preparation, high school diploma acquisition and workforce development services.
- Carastar Health provides mental health treatment for people experiencing homelessness.
- P.E.E.R.S. Caring Homes for Veterans helps veterans with housing assistance, case management and support services.
- The Council on Substance Abuse conducts screenings and assessments for substance abuse disorders as well as providing substance abuse prevention education.
- HandsOn River Region regulates programs at the Hub, ensuring all organizations follow the guidelines of the Hub.
- PeopleReady helps connect those who are homeless with employment opportunities.
- KKEDS Transportation Services supplies transportation for people who need to get to the Hub and other services.
- City of Montgomery Community Development Department provides mobile units for restrooms, showers, laundry and ADA accommodations.
- The Mayor’s Task Force on Addressing Homelessness , which is made up of organization that address homelessness, leads the Hub.
- The Montgomery Police Department Crisis Intervention Team trains Hub members and police officers on how to respond to mental health crises.