(Spirit Lake)– The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors today (Tues.) heard an update from the Family Crisis Center. Shari Kastein, the organization’s Director, said progress continues to be made on their rapid housing housing program in Dickinson county that assists victims of domestic and other forms of violence…
“Because if we can get somebody in a home particularly a family that would be homeless due to a violent crime, they stand an 80 percent or greater chance to regain their self sufficiency than if we had them in a home or emergency shelter. So we’re using your model in Dickinson county in more of our counties because really an emergency shelter isn’t what people are thriving for. If somebody is in an emergency shelter that goes way down to 30 percent likelihood to stay self sufficient.”
Kastein says the program was started after Dickinson county lost its shelter several years ago…
“And if you think about it, a victim of crime has so much taken from them I don’t want their home to be taken as well, and if we can provide that I want to be able to do that.”
Kastein says the rapid housing program is heavily funded through federal grants the Family Crisis Center has been able to obtain through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
As part of her update, Kastein also submitted the organization’s annual funding request. She requested Dickinson county kick in $20,000 for the upcoming fiscal year, an increase over the current level of $15,000. Kastein says the additional funding is needed in part to cover the increase in a local match that’s needed for the HUD grants. The supervisors will consider the request during upcoming budget talks.
