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Coalition For The Homeless Gets $25,000 In Emergency Grant Funding

This story has been corrected; see below.

The Coalition for the Homeless is getting $25,000 which could be used to add storage and shelter beds for the community’s homeless population.

The funds are part of an emergency grant from the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, which uses donations from more than 31,000 of its members to fund nonprofits. Executive Director Sherry Crose said the group chose the Coalition for the Homeless to receive the grant because they wanted to spur other organizations to donate.

“I think we’re all cognizant of how generous the Metro government is, but they can only go so far,” Crose said. “It’s going to take the entire community to help this issue.”

“We are just absolutely grateful to the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels,” said Coalition for the Homeless Director of Development Melissa Kratzer. “We hope that it inspires the rest of the community to step up alongside them so that we can help our most vulnerable homeless neighbors.”

The Colonels’ grant marks another big financial push towards addressing homelessness in Louisville.

Kratzer said recent private investments helped a nonprofit women’s only shelter open this summer, and funded the Host Homes program — a temporary housing program for homeless young adults.

The coalition also earned a $3.45 million federal grant this year to combat youth homelessness, and last week, Metro Council allocated more than half-a million dollars toward immediate solutions for homelessness.

A plan for how to use the funds from Metro Council must be finalized by January 2, and the plan should begin to be implemented by January 14.

Kratzer said the Coalition for the Homeless is looking to raise more money on Thursday, at the organization’s annual “Give-A-Jam To End Homelessness.”

The women's only shelter opened during summer 2018; an earlier version of the story incorrectly stated the funding allowed the shelter to keep operating. The funds from Metro Council should start being used by January 14, but do not have to be used by January 14.

Kyeland Jackson is an Associate Producer for WFPL News.