This page is no longer being updated. Please visit our new Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care website at kzoococ.org.
About
The nationwide CoC concept grew from a push by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the 1990s for communities to streamline funding requests and coordinate services. In January 2020, leadership of the Kalamazoo County CoC transitioned from Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWBCKR). During 2020, the Continuum of Care Board of Directors will become a subcommittee of the UWBCKR Board, which will oversee CoC's activities.
Our Role
- We partner with our members to increase coordination and find solutions to the gaps, inequities, and challenges they experience when working to reduce homelessness.
- We measure and analyze data to ensure accountability throughout the system of services for those experiencing homelessness.
- We write, maintain, and monitor a community-developed, countywide, 10-year Plan to End Homelessness as mandated by HUD.
- We administer state and federal funding streams that mandate the use of the CoC structure.
Training
Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH) has upcoming free training opportunities:
You can view some of their most popular training sessions at their YouTube channel. Topics include:
- McKinney Vento Act Fair Housing for homeless service providers
- Experiencing literal homelessness
- Neurobiology of trauma part 1 and 2
- State ID waiver program for individuals
- Understanding the equal access rule
FY 22 Continuum of Care Funding Opportunity
The HUD CoC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the 2022 HUD Continuum of Care Program Competition was released Aug. 1, 2022, by the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is now open.
The competition will close on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. The local application and supporting documents are due to CoC Director Patrese Griffin via p.griffin@uwscmi.org, by 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022.
VISION
The Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care’s vision is for a county where everyone has equitable access to safe, affordable, dignified housing.
MISSION
The Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care’s mission is to convene partners to improve communication and services, advocate for equitable solutions to end homelessness, and leverage state, local and federal resources to implement a county-wide Plan to End Homelessness.
Download the Continuum of Care Annual Report
Continuum of Care Team
Patrese Griffin
CoC Director
Carrie Bosch
CoC HMIS Systems Administrator
Continuum of Care Board of Directors
Amanda Sutherland, Michigan Works! Southwest
Andrew Chaponda, Open Doors Kalamazoo
Don Bouchard, Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo
Don Jones, At-Large Member
Don Roberts, Legal Aid of Western Michigan
Michelle Butkiewicz, YWCA
Erica Patton, Integrated Services of Kalamazoo
Evelyn Lewis, Ministry with Community
John Simpson, Kalamazoo Gospel Ministries
Johnny Anderson, Ministry With Community
(Co-Chair) Kelly Doyle, Community AIDS Resource and Education
Laura Lam, City of Kalamazoo
Lee Adams, Southcentral MI Planning Council
Michelle Davis, Housing Resources Incorporated
Robin Greymountain, Kalamazoo Public Schools
(Co-Chair) Sandy Barry-Loken, Kalamazoo Community Foundation
Stephanie Hoffman, Kalamazoo City Commissioner
Steve Powell, Community Member
Tiffany Cunningham, Department of Health and Human Services
Jen Strebs, Kalamazoo County Government
Zac Bauer, LISC