July 24th, 2024
First county developed emergency family shelter more than doubles existing shelter space for families needing temporary housing/services
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Monroe County Executive Adam Bello today announced the opening of the Moving Forward Family Shelter on Troup Street in Rochester. The Moving Forward Family Shelter is operated by Volunteers of America Upstate New York (VOA) and leased by the Monroe County Department of Human Services (DHS). This marks the first time Monroe County has leased and developed emergency shelter space. The Moving Forward Family Shelter can shelter up to 58 families when at full capacity, more than doubling the existing family shelter space available in Monroe County and reducing the number of families the County places in hotels for emergency housing. Room sizes vary, but the largest spaces can accommodate up to eight family members.
“The affordable housing crisis is having real impacts on housing security for too many Monroe County families. With this new shelter space, my administration has doubled the available temporary shelter space for families and contracted with Volunteers of America to provide comprehensive wraparound services to help these families regain stability,” said County Executive Bello. “Thank you to my DHS Commissioner Thalia Wright and her team, our county legislature for their support, our partners at Volunteers of America for its dedicated work and our New York State Delegation and Governor Hochul for their commitment to ongoing financing.”
The Moving Forward Family Shelter offers on-site case management, children and family activities, meals and interim transportation to school and medical services. These services are not typically available for hotel placements.
“The opening of the Moving Forward Family Shelter here on Troup Street will more than double the existing family shelter space available in the county,” said Commissioner of Human Services Thalia Wright. “These families will have access to wraparound services such as on-site case management, daycare, meals and interim transportation to school and medical services. Providing a safe place to stay is just the beginning: our goal is to provide a pathway for stability and success.”
“The opening of Moving Forward Family Shelter comes at a critical time, as the number of families experiencing homelessness in our community has reached unprecedented levels. Volunteers of America is dedicated to responding to this urgent need with compassion, helping families rebuild their lives and create a brighter future for themselves and their children. We are pleased to partner with Monroe County to launch this new emergency shelter, offering comprehensive support and services to families in crisis,” said Dr. Junior Dillion, president and CEO of Volunteers of America Upstate New York.
“With youth homelessness on the rise in Rochester, the Moving Forward Family Shelter is coming at the perfect time to keep families together,” said state Senator Jeremy Cooney. “By providing resources like meals, case management and transportation, Monroe County is ensuring that families not only have a safe place to sleep, but are also provided with vital services in their time of need. I commend County Executive Bello for supporting this transformational project and for prioritizing the care of Monroe County’s homeless population.”
“The Moving Forward Family Shelter will fill an important and critical gap for Monroe County families experiencing housing instability and insecurity by providing temporary housing and support that is compassionate and dignified. Having a reliable resource for emergency shelter is a vital first step to securing more permanent housing, and I am thankful to County Executive Bello, Monroe County Department of Human Services and Volunteers of America for their work to develop a more sustainable solution for families facing these challenging circumstances,” said state Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson.
“Far too often constituents experiencing chronic homelessness contact our office seeking assistance with finding a shelter. There is a substantial need for quality, supportive housing that directly provides for struggling residents throughout our community. Today, we cut the ribbon for the Moving Forward Family Shelter on Troup Street. This temporary emergency shelter for homeless families with children will provide shelter for up to 58 families along with on-site case management, family activities, meals, and transportation services. I am grateful to Monroe Country for taking the necessary steps to bring holistic services to our children and families,” said state Assemblyman Demond Meeks.
To be placed in the Moving Forward Family Shelter, families must be referred by DHS. It is anticipated that initiating referrals to the Moving Forward Family Shelter will start in the coming weeks.
