Lucy’s Hearth Receives $50,000 grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI
| Funds will support a program that helps formerly homeless families transition to permanent homes. MIDDLETOWN, RI — Today Family Service of Rhode Island and Lucy’s Hearth announced that they have received a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island Grant in the amount of $50,000. This grant is intended to aid in the successful transition from homelessness and reduce the risks of families falling back into homelessness. Over the course of the last year, Lucy’s Hearth has worked with a bilingual Housing Navigator to assist families in coordination with landlords, health care providers, and overall ease as they transition to permanent homes. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, unemployment and homelessness have significantly risen. More people have lost their jobs, homes, and feeling of safety throughout the course of the last year. This has only made the work Lucy’s Hearth has been doing with its housing navigator initiative more important. With the help of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island’s grant, Lucy’s Hearth can move towards making it more accessible for families who have been placed at a disadvantage to find a permanent place to call home. An example of the importance of the Housing navigator program is through one of the families they helped. One of the navigators recalls one of her clients who did not speak English. The navigator guided her and helped her towards finding the proper medication for her grandparents, her children, and herself. She also helped her find therapy for her son who suffered from ADHD. The son had struggled in school and with his diagnosis, he eventually thrived. The navigators go beyond even what Lucy’s Hearth describes their job as. “We are proud to work along with BCBSRI to help the transition out of homelessness,” said Kelly A. Lee the Executive Director at Lucy’s Hearth “The Housing Navigator program has already helped over 13 families and is important because it allows for continued success in the family’s ability to sustain themselves in permanent supportive housing for 6 months after leaving shelter” Thanks to Lucy’s Hearth and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island hundreds of families in need can be supported through the challenging process of finding a place to call home. The $50,0000 dollars from BCBSRI is a start to supporting a whole community of people who have been linguistically isolated from the complicated process of finding a home of their own. To find out more about Lucy’s Hearth and the families they serve, go to lucyshearth.org. |
