"Ending Homelessness Together"

Tennessee Homeless Solutions would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to Union Baptist Church in Lexington TN for allowing us to come to their 2017 Vacation Bible School and give a presentation as to what we do at THS. We would also like to say a very special thank you to each member/person who played any role in purchasing, gathering or bagging the numerous, much needed items for our Homeless clients. Last but certainly not least a BIG shout out to all the VBS kids for their eagerness to learn about the homeless and their willingness to help others. This is a true sentiment to our mission statement of “Ending Homelessness Together”. Please feel free to contact our office at 731-651-1020 If you or your organization would be interested in learning more about Tennessee Homeless Solutions. You can also like us on Facebook or visit our website at tnhomelesssolutions.org

We are in need of volunteers at our Dyersburg location!!! If you are interested or know anyone who would be come by the store at 1689 Hwy 51 Bypass N, Parker Plaza in Dyersburg, TN or call Leigha 731-478-6444. Any help would be greatly appreciated! So come on in and Make a Difference 😊 Needing graduation volunteer hours? All volunteers under the age of 18 must have parental permission. Thank You!

If you would like to donate your new and gently used shoes to T.A.R.P please feel free to drop them off at THS and we will get them to the appropriate place. Let's help them reach their goal!

"Ending Homelessness Together" in Dyer County Ending Homelessness Together can be as simple as making one phone call. When Mr. James Wiginton contacted the West TN Homeless Hotline at Tennessee Homeless Solutions he had been sleeping in his car at a local body shop. After his wife of many years passed in November of 2016, he began to lose everything; his house, money, even his dog which made him feel like there was nothing else to live for. He became so depressed he attempted to end his life in hopes of being with his wife again, fortunately he only ended up with a wrecked car and a few bruises. In working with Mr. James THS was able to locate and provide permanent housing that he could afford and once again be self sufficient. He feels like he has been given a new lease on life and we could not be more blessed to witness the dynamic change in him. If you were to meet Mr. James today, you would see a genuine smile and truly joyous person. "I would like to thank my caseworker at THS, Mr. David at the Brasfield's, Ms. Ester for helping me make the call, Brother Mitchell and Ms. Frances, and all the people that gave me the nice things for my new apartment", Mr. James Wiginton. THS Making A Difference Thrift Store is located in Dyersburg at 1689 Hwy 51 Bypass N, Parker Plaza. Gently used items are gladly accepted. To learn more about THS or to make a monetary donation please visit our website at www.tnhomelesssolutions.org All donations are tax deductible. West TN Homeless Hotline 1-866-307-5469

Remembering and honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we could have our freedom in this beautiful country... 🇺🇸 The United States of America 🇺🇸 #MemorialDay2017

We have great news to share! The Knoxville CPD office has recognized The Jackson/West Tennessee CoC as a Best Practicing Tennessee Continuum of Care. Please read below to find out what this CoC is doing right and why. Jackson/West Tennessee CoC “Working for the Community, by the Community” Several years ago, (November of 2014) the leadership of the Jackson/West Tennessee CoC decided that it was time to make some changes that it believed would allow the CoC to become “for the community, by the community”. Since its inception, the Jackson/West TN CoC had been overseen solely by Tennessee Homeless Solutions. It was an efficient and simple way to manage and maintain services across the area. However, over time the CoC determined this setup was not working very well. Participation in the CoC steadily decreased and agencies were not engaged in committees. So, what did the CoC change? 1. The format of the CoC meetings was changed. It was apparent that the CoC was losing participants because during every meeting it spent the clear majority of time talking about grants or Federal regulations. The CoC wanted to instead, involve the community, and this meant it had to have topics and speakers that were engaging the CoC members on multiple levels. The CoC began inviting a different speaker to each meeting and stopped spending all its time discussing grants and CoC issues (other than in the Committees). 2. A CoC Board of Directors was created. The Board is made up of Grantees and/or any other persons that want to volunteer. The Board meets before the CoC meeting to discuss compliance, peer monitoring, and issues or concerns. The Board also reviews and approves all Policies and Procedures (P&P) for all programs associated with the CoC, such as, HMIS, ESG, SHP, etc. All agencies within the CoC have adopted the same P&P for all Federally funded programs. An agency can add requirements or populations; however, the additions must comply with HUD Policy and it must operate within the scope of the adopted P&P. After the Board approves the P&P or any other issues or changes, the information is then presented to the entire CoC, where a vote is taken for approval. This process only takes up a very small portion of the CoC meeting. If additional discussion is needed, it is sent back to the Board. 3. A Steering Committee was created, which is completely stand alone. The members of the CoC do not have contact with the Steering Committee, and no one from the Steering Committee has connection to any agencies applying for funding. 4. The West Tennessee Homeless Hotline was created. It is the central point of all homeless assistance programs in West Tennessee (Coordinated Entry). All Federally funded homeless programs utilize the hotline. Once a person calls the hotline, the entire process is automated through the HMIS. The hotline operator can see available beds and make referrals. All Federally funded homeless programs use the same paperwork and assessment process. An agency may add documentation to the application, but must use the same "core" application as voted on by the CoC Board and the CoC. The CoC Board is responsible for conducting monitoring visits, reviewing HMIS data, checking attendance, and encouraging committee participation. The data is then compiled into a report that is given to the Steering Committee. The same information is also provided for each applying agency to allow the Steering Committee to rank and rate projects. If agencies do not comply with the P&P or any other aspect of the decisions voted on by the CoC Board and the CoC, it is noted in a report sent to the Steering Committee. Ultimately, it is the decision of the Steering Committee to determine any penalty or ranking position. The CoC and Collaborative Applicant (TN Homeless Solutions) have no say in who is funded. It is important to note that this process of change was very difficult. The creation of the P&P for all programs by Tennessee Homeless Solutions was critical in bringing the CoC together. After the CoC was restructured, the committees now review and modify relevant policies. The CoC Board has no chairperson. Instead, Tennessee Homeless Solutions simply acts as a moderator. This ensures that all agencies have an equal voice. Nevertheless, it was a risky change. Ultimately, it forces the collaborative applicant to be held accountable on an equal basis, while still applying for funding on behalf of the CoC. To make this happen, Tennessee Homeless Solutions cannot stress enough on how important it is to have an easy to use, dependable HMIS and a committed staff. Knoxville CPD has noticed some very positive changes in this CoC. In the last two years, four grantees within the CoC have been monitored with only one minor Finding issued. Participant files contain required information and each grantee’s P&P information includes all required elements and is similar in form. Most Jackson/West TN CoC grantees now have a better understanding of what is required of them. In addition, the CoC is scoring higher in the competitions! The Jackson/West TN CoC has kindly volunteered to provide Technical Assistance to any Tennessee CoC who could use some additional guidance. With Federal funding so tight, it is in your best interest to make sure your CoC is working together, is looking for ways to improve, and is transparent as you make changes. If interested, please contact this Office and speak with your CPD Representative.

Tennessee Homeless Solutions and the SSVF program will be attending the Business Expo 2017 in Dyer County! Stop by our table to learn more about our programs and register for a door prize! The event is free and open to the public. Hope to see you Thursday!

April is Fair Housing Month! Click on link for more information and resources. https://www.hudexchange.info/news/april-is-fair-housing-month-fair-housing-equals-opportunity/