Blog posts – Springfield Supported Housing Program

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SSHP will include weekly blogs and updates, be sure to check in here soon!

4 days ago

“We are starting to lose capacity every day in the hotels and motels in terms of rooms as the state begins to reopen,” Mike Smith, secretary of the Vermont Agency of Services, said at the governor’s Tuesday news conference. “This program had restrictive criteria for eligibility in place before the pandemic. We recognized the need to protect the most vulnerable and we suspended all eligibility criteria during the pandemic.”www.reformer.com/coronavirus/vermont-transitions-away-from-motel-housing-program/article_ba81c044... ... See MoreSee Less

Vermont transitions away from motel housing program

www.reformer.com

MONTPELIER — About 2,295 people are living in 1,631 hotel and motel rooms around Vermont as part of the state’s response to housing insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the

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Springfield Supported Housing Program

6 days ago

Our VERAP program’s mission is to help alleviate income pressure on tenants and landlords and restore stability to the rental community. ... See MoreSee Less

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Springfield Supported Housing Program

6 days ago

Board Member Highlight: Malcolm FowlerThank you Malcolm Fowler for your work with the SSHP board and for all you do in our community!When and why did you join the SSHP board?I joined over a year ago. I joined because I am on the Springfield Prevention Coalition and we had been doing some community forums and at the community forums Lee had been coming to the forum and discussing prevention in the town and how various organizations in the town could be a part of that. At one of the meetings he asked me if I would be interested in joining the board, he said he was on the lookout for community minded individuals to join the board. He talked about the work on the board and what it took.How do you see your work as a pastor connect with your work on the board?I am also the chair of the association of Springfield churches, and I can say that a lot of people come to our churches who need support. Housing is something that a lot of people struggle with and so as a pastor being on the board helps me in two ways. One is it helps me do what I need to do if someone comes to the church who may need help and to connect them with SSHP. The other thing is as a pastor I want to be involved in the community, and through outreach to be a face and name that cares about Springfield and for people to know that the churches care and are out in the community and are caring about our community.What other groups and projects are you a part of in Springfield?I am on the Springfield Prevention Coalition and I am working on a project called Serve Springfield. We started last year, but didn’t turn out due to the coronavirus, but were a model of service to the community and caring about our community together. It was a way to get volunteering projects. We didn't have too many projects last year but we helped to wash the windows at the community center and we cleaned up trash on the bike path. We have a website, Servespringfield.com. People can sign up there or on different community pages online. One of the things I noticed when I moved up here was that Springfield as a community has a lot of pride, and there are also a lot of needs. Serve Springfield is trying to get people to make a conscious commitment as a place that we care about the place that we live. I continue to work with Turning Point and I used to do a luncheon with anyone who was interested in spiritual care in recovery and to give people a place to talk about it.What led you to come to Springfield to be a pastor?Well the simple answer is God. But the short story is I have a friend who is a pastor in Cavendish, and I got connected with the executive minister who is the head of the Baptist churches in this region. I was looking to relocate and got connected with the executive minister up here, and he said he would connect me with a church. The Calvary Church was looking to hire someone, and I went through the interview process. My wife and I talked about it quite a bit, but we really felt it was a call from God to be a pastor here and be a part of the community.What are some things you are looking forward to in the community going forward?I’d like to see Serve Springfield grow and I’d like to see the churches be a strong part of the community that cares about one another and have a voice and love for one another in the gospel and the bible. Churches can be a part of the good work that organizations do around town.www.servespringfieldmo.com/ ... See MoreSee Less

Serve Springfield

www.servespringfieldmo.com

The mission of Serve Springfield is to unite youth groups to make Jesus famous through serving the Springfield community.

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Springfield Supported Housing Program

6 days ago

"For the roughly 720 households no longer eligible, the state has some money available to help the transition to other housing situations. People can qualify for a $2,500 'essential payment' to help cover costs related to the move, said Josh Hanford, commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Development."vtdigger.org/2021/06/15/with-state-of-emergency-to-expire-vermont-plans-for-a-housing-transition/ ... See MoreSee Less

With state of emergency to expire, Vermont plans for a housing transition - VTDigger

vtdigger.org

Two-thirds of the 2,300 people now living in motels will be able to get an 84-day extension to make move-out arrangements, state officials said.

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Springfield Supported Housing Program

1 week ago

SSHP is asking for camping gear donations including tents, sleeping bags, and tarps. If you or anyone you know has donations, call (802) 885-3034, message our account, or email adminassistant@sshpvt.org. Thanks you all for your support! ... See MoreSee Less

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