Latest news with #CoalitionforHomelessIndividuals
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Healey to visit Franklin, Worcester counties to make announcements, discuss transportation
ATHOL, Mass. (WWLP) – Governor Maura Healey will visit Franklin and Worcester counties on Thursday. Coalition for Homeless Individuals calls for budget funding Governor Healey's first stop is at Athol High School at 11:00 a.m. where she will join Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler on a tour of their robotics classrooms. She will also announce new funding for the Innovation Career Pathways Program, which provides internships to students, college-level courses, and hands-on learning experiences that align with students' career interests. Then, she heads to Conway to talk with Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt about transportation and the administration's Transforming Transportation Roadshow, highlighting $8 billion being sent to improve roads and bridges across the state. She's also focusing on how that money will go toward rural areas in western Massachusetts. This stop is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. at the Field Memorial Library in Conway. A press conference will follow the transportation discussion. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Coalition for Homeless Individuals calls for budget funding
BOSTON (WWLP) – Lawmakers are working on their drafts of the next state budget and the Coalition for Homeless Individuals held a State House Lobby Day to request funding. The Coalition focuses on the individual homeless shelter system, which functions separately from the family system. Individuals experiencing homelessness are not protected by Massachusetts' right to shelter law. Area correctional officers learn how to better their facilities at annual conference Advocates say the system is an effective functional safety net, and consists of emergency shelters, transitional services to rebuild health and work skills, and supportive housing for people who are unable to live independently long-term. Housing Secretary Ed Augustus said that despite the state's effort, homelessness in the Bay State is on the rise. 'I'm very worried given what we're hearing out of Washington, we're going to see more headwinds as we combat homelessness,' Augustus said. One western Massachusetts provider said resources are stretched especially thin in more rural parts of the state. 'This year, the numbers are out of control. said Jane Banks, Assistant Secretary of Housing and Community Development. 'In Greenfield, we have 45 beds, and we served 74 people for 2,441 bed nights.' The coalition is requesting $121 million to fund provider programs, and $10 million to help providers with workforce development. This funding would need to be established in a compromise version of House and Senate budget drafts and approved by Governor Healey to go into effect for next fiscal year. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Coalition for Homeless Individuals holds briefing at State House
BOSTON (WWLP) – The Coalition for Homeless Individuals held a briefing on Tuesday, highlighting the challenges facing homeless people in Massachusetts and identifying potential solutions. Massachusetts is experiencing an 11% to 25% increase in homeless shelter demand for families and individuals, and with funding running dry for the emergency housing program, providers are advocating for the state to step in. Holyoke building condemned due to code violations One challenge these providers face is combating stereotypes about homelessness. 'We work with really beautiful individuals. They come in our doors, they want to be a part of their own solution,' said Aaryn Manning, the executive director of Project Place. While homelessness in Massachusetts remains lower than the national average both for veterans and for civilian populations, providers are facing challenges stemming from the housed population. Most residents support ending homelessness, but many do not want a homeless shelter in their town. 'We face great NIMBYism, 'not in my backyard,' when we're trying to end homelessness,' said John Yazwinski, the President and CEO of Father Bill's and MainSpring. One shelter director says we already have the tools we need to permanently end homelessness in Massachusetts, such as the shelter system, medical care organizations for homeless individuals, and job training programs. 'It works! This approach works! We don't need to figure out how to end homelessness. We need to resource it,' said President and CEO of St. Francis House of Karen LaFrazia. The providers say the emergency shelter system is a crucial starting point to getting individuals and families the resources they need to work and live independently. The coalition encouraged legislators at the briefing to fund homeless shelters and other resources in the upcoming 2026 budget. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
