Who We Are
Mission -
Homeward serves as Polk County’s homelessness planning organization, forging strategic partnerships between homelessness organizations, community partners, government officials, and people experiencing homelessness. Through these partnerships, we’re creating an efficient, effective homeless response system that meets all residents’ strengths and needs. Our work is to ensure that Polk County residents rarely experience homelessness at all and that their stay in homelessness is a brief, one-time experience when it does occur.
Homeward is driven by the following principles:
Housing First
Research tells us that the most effective way to end homelessness is to quickly house people with no preconditions, requirements, or barriers. Once people are safely housed, they can then begin to pursue their goals and engage with services or treatment.
Racial Equity
Data shows us that people of color, and Black individuals in particular, are heavily over-represented in Polk County’s homeless response system. Homeward examines racial disparity in programs to build equitable services and dismantle systemic racism.
Community Collaboration
Homeward acts in close partnership with the Polk County community to ensure a coordinated approach to preventing and ending homelessness. We collaborate across sectors to engage in innovative partnerships that elevate community voices
What We Do
Homeward takes a system-wide approach to homelessness in Polk County by looking at all pieces of the puzzle, identifying community gaps, and leading innovative solutions. We disseminate homelessness data and resources, enabling the Polk County community to engage in partnerships toward ending homelessness. Homeward operates as a hub of strategic planning and expertise on homelessness in these ways:
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We work in collaboration with over 100 homelessness organizations and community agencies to set a coordinated approach to ending homelessness
- We distribute $4.5 million in federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding for community homeless services
- We support hardworking homelessness organizations across our county with best practices, training, and problem-solving
- We partner to collect and analyze data on homelessness in Polk County to make decisions on services and monitor goals
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We advocate and share information with local officials to build systemic, long-term solutions to homelessness and affordable housing
Details
| (515) 282-3233 | |
| aarthur@homewardiowa.org | |
| Angie Arthur | |
| Executive Director | |
| http://www.homewardiowa.org |
