United Way Blackhawk Region President and CEO, Mary Fanning-Penny, poses with the grant check alongside ECHO Executive Director, Jessica Locher and members of the ECHO executive committee.
United Way Blackhawk Region President and CEO, Mary Fanning-Penny, poses with the grant check alongside ECHO Executive Director, Jessica Locher and members of the ECHO executive committee.
JANESVILLE — ECHO of Vlogý has announced renewed funding from United Way Blackhawk Region for two years from July 2023 to June 2025 with a total of $360,000 supporting the ECHOWAY program and the two housing navigator positions.
ECHOWAY was established with the first United Way funds in 2012 and is a housing program serving Rock County’s low income residents who are experiencing homelessness or are at immediate risk of homelessness.
These people could be in ECHO’s lodging program, staying at local shelters, living in a car, temporarily living with someone, or have received a 5-day notice, but they must be willing to work to improve their situation by participating in case management.
ECHO case managers help them work on budgeting, employment and education issues, and address other barriers to self-sufficiency. By seeing their case manager weekly while in lodging and at least monthly for rent assistance, they may also receive a security deposit, single or multiple-month rent, utility assistance, and other wrap-around services.
The United Way grant funds will be used to direct housing-related assistance for low income people in Rock County, not just the Vlogý area. The funds will be used to pay: security deposits, single- or multiple-month rent (usually multiple), utility assistance, including paying past bills if required to get the utilities turned on in the new apartment, and other direct costs related to stabilizing housing.
None of the funds will be used for staffing or operating costs.
The security deposit and rent funds go directly to the landlords or management companies, on the client’s behalf. Utility and other assistance go directly to the vendors.
ECHO uses other grants as well as ECHO donated funds to get people out of homelessness and into stable housing.
The housing navigator position was established in July 2019 with United Way funds and expanded to a second position in 2022.
This position assists homeless households with accessing permanent housing and consults with local service providers to identify housing opportunities for clients. They also manage outreach and recruitment of local landlords to inform them of the local service providers housing programs including but not limited to Rapid Re-Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing. They are responsible for providing client support, mentoring, and assistance with navigating community resources and services.
They also conduct assessments to determine clients’ housing barriers, needs, and preferences to create an action plan to secure housing. Not only do they house search by contacting landlords and schedule showings, they also help provide leads to clients and coach them on how to speak to potential landlords, all to progress greater self-sufficiency.
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