The past year has been one of transition for the Cordova Family Resource Center (CFRC).
After residing in the lower level of Union Hall for the past several years, CFRC moved into their new location at 1215 Lake Avenue between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays last winter.
Between relocating and dealing with a shortage of staff, CFRC had to pause the summer camps they’d usually run over the summer. But according to Nicole Songer, executive director of CFRC, they’re settled into the new space and ready to ramp up their programming for the fall.
One of those programs they’re ramping up is a new one that focuses on individuals facing housing insecurity.
Last fall, CFRC received a $99,521 grant through the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Alaska Finance Housing Corporation for the first time. This funding allows CFRC to help qualified individuals who face barriers for getting into housing or need assistance to avoid eviction.
While CFRC was previously able to provide emergency shelter through another grant for victims of domestic violence, this new funding allows CFRC to provide additional resources, such as helping individuals with partial rent payment.
“If they’re getting evicted because they aren’t able to pay their full month’s rent, then we could help with that,” said Songer.
Other services CFRC can now provide include assistance with rent deposits and utility payments.
Songer sought out this funding after Sound Alternatives, Cordova’s Community Behavioral Health Clinic, had a grant for housing assistance that did not get renewed. Because of CFRC’s experience providing emergency shelter, Songer explained, they partnered with Sound Alternatives for the duration of their grant. After the funding expired, Songer said they still saw a need for housing assistance in the community.
Now that CFRC is able to provide housing assistance through their grant, Songer stressed the need to continue working with community partners.
“We can’t do this work by ourselves,” said Songer. “And so we have to partner with behavioral health. We have to partner with the Tribe, we have to partner with our housing programs. And when I mean partner, it’s like we need to have a great working relationship. So that when we call them, we say, ‘Hey, we have this individual. Let’s see what we can do. Here’s some barriers. Our grant will only pay for this. Is there anything that you guys can do to help?’”
Another benefit of this program is that it allows people who don’t qualify for affordable housing options – such as those through Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, North Pacific Rim Housing Authority, and Cordova Mews Apartments – to access financial assistance through CFRC.
This is especially pertinent when it comes to victims of domestic violence, Songer explained, who can be disqualified from affordable housing due to circumstances that weren’t their fault.
“The perpetrator often will damage the property and leave it up to the victim because it’s in their [the victim’s] name,” said Songer. “And so now the victim can’t get housing because of their circumstances.”
According to Songer, this new funding should be renewed for approximately the same amount in the upcoming year, allowing CFRC to continue the program.
Along with their new housing program, CFRC continues to offer services for victims of domestic violence. They will also resume youth programming, with their yearly fall program Girls on the Run – a 10-week after-school program for girls that focuses on developing self-respect and healthy living – resuming next month.
