Welcome To The El Paso Coalition For The Homeless

Through collaboration and coordination of efforts and an effective balance of programs, El Paso’s Continuum of Care will meet the diverse needs of persons at risk of becoming homeless, homeless individuals and families who can transition to a return to self-sufficiency, and those homeless who are no longer able to be totally independent.

Mission:  The El Paso Coalition for the Homeless is a membership-driven alliance dedicated to securing appropriate housing and services for persons who are homeless through advocacy, resources and innovation.

HISTORY

The El Paso Coalition for the Homeless is a Texas non-profit that serves as the coordinating entity for numerous member agencies and individuals who provide housing, services, and support to the homeless, including social services, members of the faith community, local business and community agencies, state, federal and local governmental entities, and members of the general public. In its capacity as Collaborative Applicant, its primary objectives are to oversee the operation of the Continuum of Care, ensure compliance with HMIS regulations and Continuum of Care Planning, as described under the CoC Program Rule. The Coalition is the HMIS Lead and receives grant funds to ensure compliance with HMIS regulations which are outside the scope of this proposal.

The El Paso Coalition for the Homeless was founded in 1992 as a means of bringing together local service providers to address the issue of homelessness in El Paso.
Through its efforts, El Paso became one of the first cities in the state of Texas to develop and implement a one-stop social service center to assist the homeless in accessing services. HUD resources at the City were secured to purchase and renovate a three story structure which became known as the Day Resource Center, a gathering place for the homeless during the day to access services and seek refuge during the day time hours. Shortly after opening, the services expanded to include the establishment of the area’s primary winter emergency night shelter for homeless men and women who frequently sought refuge on the streets, in abandoned buildings and our local plaza and parks.

During 2002, the membership of the El Paso Coalition for the Homeless voted to separate itself from the Opportunity Center for the Homeless and establish two distinct organizations. Since securing a 501(c)3 determination, the El Paso Coalition for the Homeless reestablished itself and continues the work laid forth by our predecessors. Today, due to the commitment of numerous member agencies, the Coalition continues to serve as the collaborating entity for the CoC application, implementing Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, carrying out the objectives identified in the El Paso Continuum of Care’s Strategic Plan supporting the HEARTH Act legislation, and developing a long term coordinated discharge plan for state and local agencies, so that homelessness, when it does occur, is rare, brief and nonrecurring.

Our future as a Coalition is strong and needed. No one entity can do it all. This is evident in the unified approach to securing funding for homeless programs, the collaborative efforts between member agencies to address mental health and medical issues of the homeless, as well as the continued support the Coalition provides to local, state and federal agencies seeking information on homelessness in El Paso and the surrounding community.

WORKING AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

The entire concept of the initial establishment of the Coalition for the Homeless was the formation of partnerships. From our initial discussions with the El Paso Community College to collaborative efforts between member agencies such as cooperative grants between the Veterans Health Care System and the Opportunity Center, Youth-focused service grants between El Paso Human Services and El Paso Center for Children, joint projects between Emergence Health Network and the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso, just to name a few, partnerships and strong working relationships have been vital to our success in working towards a united effort to prevent and end homelessness.

Our partnership with the City of El Paso through prior and current administrations has been well documented as being successful for both the service providers as well as the City of El Paso. Federal funding sources have frequently commended the City and the Coalition for their collaborative partnerships, ability to draw from a variety of funding sources to accomplish services for the homeless, and in development of replicable projects in our community.

The County of El Paso also supports the Coalition in many ways. Serving as the Coordinated Access system contact, a HUD-mandated function, the County provides a needed service in the Community.

It is our strongest desire to continue to build upon the already established working relationships with our various funding sources and to use those relationships to secure alternative funding and program revenue.

The El Paso Coalition for the Homeless is the infrastructure organization for the El Paso CoC and serves as a coordinating entity for agencies and individuals who provide housing, services, and support to the homeless, including social service organizations, members of the faith community, local business, community agencies, state, federal and local governmental entities, and members of the general public.