New York City, NY—Church World Service (CWS), a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement, and disaster is proud to announce a partnership between Refugee Housing Solutions (RHS)—a project of CWS—and United Way of Greater Kansas City. The new initiative will join the United Way of Greater Kansas City 211’s community resource navigation tool with RHS’ Housing Directory to help eligible populations find key support in their communities. The initial pilot will connect more than 170 housing service providers and housing resources—concerning housing stability, the unhoused, and specific tools for refugee and newcomer neighbors—in the Greater Kansas City metro area to RHS’ Housing Directory of Missouri.
The RHS Housing Directory is a central database and interactive online map of housing support services and resources in different locations across the United States. It helps refugees and other people involved in resettlement find important local housing information.
“Refugee Housing Solutions values the work of United Way of Greater Kansas City 211 and the nationwide impact of United Way 211. We are excited to see this pilot project come to fruition and leverage housing support services to increase stability. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to all that is ahead as the partnership evolves.” – Lindsey Guerrero, Director of Housing Solutions & Strategy at Church World Service.
One of the missions of United Way of Greater Kansas City is collaborating with partners to come up with smart, sustainable solutions to both short- and long-term community challenges around youth opportunities, building healthy communities, financial security, and overall community resiliency.
“Partnering with Refugee Housing Solutions through a resource directory integration pilot aligns with the mission and purpose of United Way 211. By integrating resources, this pilot widens access to essential, localized services and empowers individuals to navigate housing options more independently. It also builds awareness of 211 which provides localized referrals to essential resources that promote stability and self-reliance.” – Kristen Engelbrecht Vice President, 211 at United Way of Greater Kansas City
This partnership marks an important step toward expanding safe and stable housing for refugees and other vulnerable populations. By combining RHS’ expertise with United Way’s community reach, CWS and its partners aim to create stronger, more resilient communities across Greater Kansas City.
United Way of Greater Kansas City 211 is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects individuals and families to local resources across a wide range of needs—including housing, food, healthcare, employment, and more. Local to the Kansas City region, 211 is operated by United Way of Greater Kansas City and available 24/7 via phone by dialing “2-1-1” and on the web at 211kc.org. The telephone service is available in over 150 languages. Serving residents of the 23 counties surrounding Kansas City and a database of 7,000+ community services, it is a centralized access point for people seeking stability and community support services.
Refugee Housing Solutions (RHS) is a Church World Service capacity strengthening project with expert staff who support ORR-eligible populations and service providers among others to find and create affordable housing solutions across the United States. RHS endeavors to close gaps in housing challenges through effective and efficient housing support initiatives which strengthen communities’ housing stability and ultimately foster successful integration and prosperity, creating a more connected and thriving nation for all.
RHS is paid for in part by an agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CWS received a cooperative agreement through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, CA #90XR0092. The contents of this release are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
For more information on this new program, contact Refugee Housing Solutions at info@refugeehousing.org