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Revision as of 13:15, 31 May 2010

Welcome to the Program Design and Development Wiki

This site is designed to provide rapid access to the information and resources needed by service providers, advocates and communities in Westchester County, New York. Clicking on any of the links below will take you to a page with meeting notices and other information and resources relevant to each collaboration.

Collaborations

Yonkers Juvenile Crime Enforcement Coalition (YJCEC)

This collaboration, facilitated by the Yonkers Police Department, is developing and implementing a coordinated Juvenile Justice Strategy and Action Plan to reduce violent juvenile crime in Yonkers, New York.

Yonkers Truancy Reduction Strategy Group (YTRSG)

This YJCEC workgroup is implementing an innovative strategy to reduce chronic truancy in Yonkers.

Mt. Vernon Truancy Reduction Strategy Group (MVTRSG)

This workgroup is replicating the YTRSG strategy to reduce chronic truancy in Mt. Vernon.

Yonkers Continuum of Care for the Homeless

This group brings together all the homeless housing and service providers in Yonkers, New York funded with HUD Continuum of Care for the Homeless funding administered by the Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers.

Mount Vernon Continuum of Care for the Homeless

This group brings together all the homeless housing and service providers in Mount Vernon, New York funded with HUD Continuum of Care for the Homeless funding administered by the City of Mount Vernon.

Westchester County Partnership for the Homeless

This group coordinates all of the homeless housing and services providers in Westchester County, New York.

DCMH Shelter Plus Care

The 9 agencies which administer Shelter Plus Care units as sub-grantees under the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health meet regularly to improve program performance.

Recovery Housing Network of Westchester

This group works to engage and house chemically dependent homeless adults in early stages of recovery.

Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP): General

This program provides financial assistance and services to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless and helps those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re-housed and stabilized.

Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP): Yonkers

This program provides financial assistance and services to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless and helps those who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re-housed and stabilized in the City of Yonkers.

Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP): Mt. Vernon

This program provides financial assistance and services to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless in the City of Mt. Vernon.

Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP): New Rochelle

This program provides financial assistance and services to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless in the City of New Rochelle.

Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP): Resources

This page contains the forms and documents related to the day-to-day operations of HPRP in Yonkers, Mt. Vernon, and New Rochelle. These documents and forms were generated by both HUD and the three cities.

PD&D In The News

Stanley Schear Leadership Award

• Karl Bertrand to receive the Stanley Schear Leadership Award for his 27 years of homeless organizing and advocacy.
  

On 5/14/10 I received the fourth annual Stanley Schear Leadership Award for my work in providing shelters and services for homeless people in Westchester County, New York for more than 27 years. The award was made by the Senior Housing and Services Coalition of the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services. My work to date has included co-founding the first shelter for the homeless in Yonkers, co-founding the Coalition for the Homeless of Westchester (the first countywide advocacy group for the homeless), developing the initial concept for the Bridge Fund eviction prevention program, co-chairing the Westchester Partnership for the Homeless, which coordinates planning and management of $10-12 million in annual Continuum of Care for the Homeless funding from HUD, and securing over $165 million in grant funding for local public and private programs benefiting the poor.

• Why I am an advocate for the homeless and the poor
  

In my speech accepting the Stanley Schear Leadership award, I try to explain for the first time in public why I am an advocate for the homeless and the poor. Writing and delivering this speech was more difficult than any other speech I've ever given, except for my mother's eulogy.

• Greenburgh man honored for years of service to help the homeless
  

This Journal News article summarizes my work leading up to the award. One minor correction: I would never say "most richest"!

• Commissioner Mae Carpenter presents the Stanley Schear award
  

• Closing remarks from the Honorable Ken Jenkins, Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman

WTFCAN Unsung Heroes Award

• Karl Bertrand's 90-second Truancy Prevention award acceptance speech

On 4/28/10 I was awarded an "Unsung Heroes" award from the Westchester County Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. The award was given for my work organizing local communities to address chronic truancy by enforcing mandatory education laws and offering supportive services. In Yonkers, NY this program cut chronic truancy by 18.6% in the first two years, which basically means that hundreds of kids who were spiraling toward dropping out, delinquency and a lifetime of poverty, are now going back to school more often. The man handing me the award is Westchester's newly elected County Executive Robert P. Astorino, who is in the process of grappling with a projected $160 million budget deficit. In this 90-second acceptance speech, I challenge Mr. Astorino to make this truancy prevention effort countywide.

• Bertrand receiving 2010 Unsung Heroes Award from the Westchester Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect

The award is being presented by Kathie Halas, Executive Director of the Child Care of Westchester and

Advocacy

Hunger Action Network of New York State (HANNYS)
The Hunger Action Network of New York State is a statewide anti-hunger coalition that combines grassroots organizing at the local level with state level research, education and advocacy to address the root causes of hunger, including poverty.
Supportive Housing Network of New York State
The Supportive Housing Network of New York represents over 150 nonprofit organizations that develop and operate supportive housing and is the only supportive housing membership organization in New York State.

Coalition for the Homeless
Coalition for the Homeless is the nation's oldest advocacy and direct service organization helping homeless men, women, and children. We are dedicated to the principle that decent shelter, sufficient food, affordable housing, and the chance to work for a living wage are fundamental rights in a civilized society. Since our inception in 1981, the Coalition has worked through litigation, public education, and direct services to ensure that these goals are realized.

National Alliance to End Homelessness
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan, mission-driven organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. We are a leading voice on the issue of homelessness. The Alliance analyzes policy and develops pragmatic, cost-effective policy solutions. We work collaboratively with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build state and local capacity, leading to stronger programs and policies that help communities achieve their goal of ending homelessness. We provide data and research to policymakers and elected officials in order to inform policy debates and educate the public and opinion leaders nationwide.

Westchester Coalition for the Hungry and Homeless
WCHH shares information and technical services with providers, connects volunteers to programs needing their help, promotes legislative action for systematic changes and collects data on the hungry and homeless that it provides as an information resource to government agencies.

Westchester Homeless Advocacy Response Network (WHARN)
WHARN is an email network that informs members when they have immediate opportunities for short-term political advocacy that could improve the lives of Westchester’s homeless residents. WHARN emails alerts to its members when policy decisions are being made and when they can make a difference by sending an email, calling a legislator, or attending a rally or vigil.

Housing Action Council
The Housing Action Council provides technical assistance, grants, and advocacy to increase and improve housing opportunities for low - and moderate - income households and special needs populations throughout the Hudson Valley Region.