THE DALLES, OREGON – Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC) is pleased to announce that they have been awarded $3,123,616 to support regional efforts to address houselessness and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to funding from Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), through the federal Emergency Solutions Grant COVID-19 (ESG-CV) program, MCCAC was able to bring multiple organizations together and build a collaborative application for these much needed resources. The funds will help provide housing stability through regional shelters, housing payment assistance and culturally specific services to communities of color and our native community members. The community based organizations participating in the collaborative include The Next Door, Nch’i Wana Housing, the Oregon Human Development Corporation, Hood River Shelter Services, Bridges to Health and the Mid-Columbia Housing Authority.
“This is a huge win as we work to advance equity and provide housing stability to our most vulnerable community members,” MCCAC Executive Director, Kenny LaPoint said. “I am proud to be a part of this collaborative effort to serve our community in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“These funds will go a long way to address the housing needs of our native friends living on and near the Columbia River,” said Debra Whitefoot, Director of Nch’i Wana Housing. Nch’i Wana Housing is an emerging non-profit focusing on the housing and community development needs of the native community residing in the Gorge.
This infusion of new funding comes at just the right time as many of our friends and neighbors have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the statewide eviction moratorium set to expire on June 30th, 2021 and houselessness continuing to wreak havoc on vulnerable community members, a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach is necessary.
“Strong collaboration, led by equity, is the driving force behind our work in the Mid-Columbia region,” said Janet Hamada, Executive Director of The Next Door, Inc. “We must work together to address the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 has had on the native community and people of color.”