Press Release: Community House Cares

The Community House on Broadway is in the final weeks of our Annual Community House Cares Campaign and we're just over half of the way to our fundraising goal of $200,000. The funds raised during this campaign are absolutely vital to keeping the Community House operational, especially during the summer months when there tends to be fewer donations coming in. The Cares Campaign will help fund us through October.

The public may have heard recently about the funds granted to Community House from the City of Longview. We are very grateful for these much needed funds, but we want our supporters and donors to know that these funds are all designated for specific uses. We are still in great need of funds to support our daily operations.

The bulk of the funds awarded by the city were granted specifically to be used to make upgrades to a separate building near Community House which will house our employment, housing, and substance use disorder services. A special separate area will be used for our children’s services, allowing our youngest residents to have a safe space to learn and grow while their parents obtain case management and other necessary services to help them become stably housed. The remainder of the funds are earmarked for our Tennant Based Rental Assistance Program, which helps eligible homeless individuals move into stable housing by assisting them in paying for rent for up to one year. This program has already helped 9 of the most heavily cost-burdened families from Community House successfully transition to their own housing stably. This program would not be in place without the funding from the city.

The Cares Campaign is designed to help us pay for our day-to-day costs which are not covered by any other funding, such as water, electricity, food, case management, and other necessary items for those receiving emergency shelter at Community House. To provide shelter and case management effectively, it takes between $40,000 and $50,000 a month to operate Community House. Our water bill alone in 2017 was around $30,000! With 100+ residents receiving services each night, 40% or more of whom are children, it is important that we are able to maintain a healthy and safe environment that promotes success and recovery. With the support of our faithful donors, we are able to provide individuals and families with the tools necessary to successfully transition from homeless to healthy, happy, and housed!