Wilsonville to receive grant for more than $500,000 supporting homelessness initiatives

The city of Wilsonville will receive more than $500,000 from Clackamas County Health, Housing & Human Services over the next two years for various projects supporting those experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

Funds will be given to the city, then distributed to Heart of the City and Wilsonville Community Sharing — two organizations that partnered with the city in applying for the grant.

Heart of the City and Wilsonville Community Sharing work to support people in need. Both can offer financial assistance with rent and utilities among other services, and Wilsonville Community Sharing operates a local food bank.

Wilsonville City Attorney Amanda Guile-Hinman said funding was approved for five of six initiatives outlined in the city’s grant application letter, including vouchers for motels, gas and clothing, funding for auto repair services, financial literacy education and charging stations for devices.

An initiative to create more accessible mental health counseling did not get funded, according to Guile-Hinman. She said the county committed to working with the city to find mental health services for the community at the county level.

Guile-Hinman said the grant will help provide necessary resources in the Wilsonville community, noting that the more unstable a person’s housing situation, the more difficult finding permanent housing becomes.

“With these initiatives, the idea is to prevent (homelessness). And for those who have entered into homelessness, we’re getting them back into a situation where they can find more stable and permanent housing,” Guile Hinman said.

Leigh Crosby, executive director for Wilsonville Community Sharing, said the organization will receive more money than expected and is “thrilled” to receive the grant. Crosby collaborated with Guile-Hinman, Heart of the City and the Wilsonville Police Department’s behavioral health specialist for the grant application. She said all parties identified the same community needs.

Crosby said there is a strong need for device charging stations to charge devices, as well as warm clothing, sleeping bags and blankets. The grant will allow the organization to give out gift cards for stores like Goodwill, where people could buy items to keep warm without premium costs.

She also highlighted the funds that will go to car repairs, because she said in some cases that is a person’s home. Crosby gave examples of people losing their car because they were unable to afford new car tabs, or because the car broke down and was towed for remaining in a parking spot too long.

Money from the grant will allow Wilsonville Community Sharing to provide money for new tabs, or to help people fix broken-down cars.

Crosby said the homeless population is growing and this population is vulnerable.

“People deserve to live with some dignity,” Crosby said, adding that whatever someone’s circumstances are, “We are human beings.”