Cedar Rapids Waypoint's Housing Services are in historically high demand with the community seeing the number of households experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis over triple the past few years.

The organization cites the pandemic, aftermath of the Derecho, and economy as a huge blow creating a loss of safety and stability among the highest need and vulnerable populations.

Prior to the pandemic and Derecho, Waypoint served 3,003 individuals, last fiscal year (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022), 13,039 individuals were served.

In response, Waypoint has hired additional staff, expanded programming, and created efficiencies to help meet this unprecedented demand for housing services.

Waypoint’s other housing programs consist of the following:

• Madge Phillips Center Shelter: Providing women and families with children experiencing homelessness with overnight shelter, basic needs, and case management. Served 183 individuals last fiscal year, 90% of them exited to permanent housing.
• Rapid Re-Housing: Helping households experiencing homelessness secure permanent housing through housing search, landlord advocacy, case management, and limited financial assistance. Served 315 individuals last fiscal year, 68% of them exited to permanent housing.
• Homeless Prevention: Supporting households who are at risk of entering the homeless service system with referrals to community resources to support housing stabilization. Served 1,039 individuals last fiscal year, 91% of them exited to permanent housing.
• Tenant Academy: A nine-hour course providing individuals with “certification of completion” to show reliability and knowledge to potential landlords.

J'Nae Peterman is the Director of Housing Services at Waypoint.

She tells Iowa's News Now, "It's just a stressful time for everybody right now. We have gone from serving 3,000 people in a year to 13,000 people in a year and that's just increasing. So it's stressful and heart breaking for people when we have to tell then there is no assistance available at this point...because monthly allotments go very fast."

To help continue meeting these growing, urgent needs, Waypoint is asking the community to please consider a donation, especially as winter approaches when safe housing and shelter become increasingly important.

Funds will be used for staffing and program costs to ensure Waypoint can meet the increased need.