06 Jan Metro Lutheran Ministries (MLM) Receives Grant from Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas

Metro Lutheran Ministries (MLM) was recently awarded a $14,750 grant from the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas to support their Community Care Program.

MLM proposes to assist families through rent and utility payment assistance for the prevention of homelessness. Households at risk of having their utilities shut off will be provided with up to $250 of utility payment assistance, while families at risk of eviction due to past rent or in need if assistance with housing relocation will be provided assistance toward rent or security deposits.  MLM will also allocate funds for Rapid Re-housing, which would be used to provide rental assistance and housing relocation services to up to three families. The rental assistance would be short term in nature and would provide rental assistance of one to three months based on need.

According to the State of Homelessness in Wyandotte County, Kansas, at least 2,000 residents are homeless on any given night, showing a large need for services, not currently being adequately met by the Continuum of Care for Wyandotte County. In response to the recommendations mentioned on the best practices to end homelessness, MLM will provide both rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention services during the 2014-2016 grant period.

Since 1971, Metro Lutheran Ministry has been providing services to the poor, homeless, elderly and disabled in the urban areas of Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Wyandotte county in Kansas. Throughout its history, MLM has been one of Kansas City’s pioneering social service agencies, organizing innovative and effective housing and emergency assistance programs to meet the needs of the poorest of the poor.