On a recent rainy and unseasonably cool morning, a group gathered near a new housing facility preparing to officially conduct an “Open House”. It had been a long, long journey for Community Action Partnership. Today was the culmination of many years of advocacy, negotiations, organizing, networking and completing hundreds of pages of formal fiscal and programmatic dialogue in the form of grants, forms, contracts and communications.
Wednesday, June 22, 2016, marked the beginning of a new hopeful life for many families in Madison County. The Larson Dale Apartment Building – (Where Hope Lives) was officially ready to open. The beautiful two-story complex contains four apartments – fully furnished- two two-bedroom (lower level meeting ADA guidelines) and two three-bedroom. They are for families who find themselves without shelter or adequate safe housing. These families will be provided with housing and a caseworker who will help them to re-group, find employment and other means to assist them through a tough time. Families can stay in the apartment for a longer time, but most will set goals and move on to permanent housing within a few months. Families will be referred to the program through CAP’s own housing program, other health and human service agencies, faith based organizations or self-referral. The Housing Coordinator, Sandi Bain, will interview each family and help them to find the best options available to them.
The Open House was attended by the NYS Commissioner of Temporary & Disability Assistance, Samuel Roberts, who spoke of their faith in and support of this program. NYS encouraged CAP to apply for this grant for many years and ultimately invested $1million dollars in the building! Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald of Madison County Department of Social Services also spoke of the partnership that they have enjoyed with CAP for the past 20 years and the many projects that have been accomplished to improve the quality of life for those residents most in need in Madison County.
As the morning continued, the clouds parted and the sun shone through. Most importantly in attendance was a family and their many children who will be staying in the apartments until their Habitat for Humanity home is completed.
The children and the family smiled widely viewing their new temporary home for the first time – enough beds for all, and a new shower to use each day – a luxury they have not enjoyed for some time.
CAP has a long history of working with families in Madison County. We have been established as a home and refuge for many who encourntered some very difficult times in the past 34 years. In 1992 we opened two transitional apartments to families in need of shelter, located upstairs from our office in Morrisville. These are no longer operative since the Canastota facility is in a more populated and resourced area. We have been able to obtain funding to operate programs providing the housing, caseworker services to join with the families in solving problems of family dissolution, domestic violence, unemployment or underemployment, mental health issues, loss of housing, financial stressors, lack of transportation and isolation from the community they are trying to bring their children up in. Please contact our Canastota office 315 697-3588 if you would like to donate.