City of Jonesboro uses federal grant money to tackle homelessness issues

The city of Jonesboro has awarded $328,000 in federal funding to three local nonprofits that address homelessness, Mayor Harold Copenhaver said Wednesday (Aug. 16).

Crowley’s Ridge Development Council, CRDC Helping Underserved Belong (HUB), and The Sure Foundation were given grant money through the city, Copenhaver said.

Through one-time funding provided by the federal government’s Community Development Block Grant program, the city allocated $200,000 for CRDC to provide emergency rent payments to those who faced financial hardship during the pandemic. With funds, 127 families were assisted. Out of those, 125 faced eviction and the other two were unsheltered and needed first month’s rent along with a deposit.

The HUB Promise House was provided $43,000 to aid in opening the “Promise House,” which will be a supportive living center for women leaving situations of domestic violence and in need of resources and job skills.

The Sure Foundation, which opened The Hope House earlier this year in north Jonesboro, received $85,000 to increase supportive services for the homeless and install ADA-compliant infrastructure.

“These non-profits are highly invested in serving the homeless in Jonesboro, and it seemed only right to help them with these funds that the federal government made available. I appreciate so much the caring and hard work they do, and I am grateful to our grants department, especially Madelynn Williams, for managing this process,” Copenhaver said.