Over 2 years ago stakeholders from 10 sectors of the community embarked on a journey to work creatively and collaboratively to address important issues in Stanislaus County. From there, the collective impact movement Focus on Prevention was born. Supporting all residents to escape homelessness has been one of FOP’s priority areas since its inception. Supported by the FOP movement is an effort by Stanislaus County Community Services Agency’s to house currently homeless families during the upcoming cold-weather months in vacant family units at the Empire Migrant Center.
“It is another opportunity for housing people,” said Supervisor Terry Withrow, who leads the county’s Focus on Prevention initiative, which aims to reduce homelessness. “All our work is for naught if we don’t have a place to put people.” – 11/7/18 Modesto Bee article
On November 13, 2018 Stanislaus County supervisors approved a proposal to use the Empire Migrant Center, located at 5132 South Ave., east of Santa Fe Avenue, as a cold-weather shelter for homeless families.
Twenty two multi-room units will be made available for temporary family housing from late November through March, twenty one unites available to families experiencing homelessness and one for an onsite manager.
Community Services Agency anticipates families occupying the units by the last week of November 2018 and staying through March 2019. Units will be occupied by families from Stanislaus County who are newly homeless or are already working with a county case manager, including families currently staying in Beard Brook Park seeking services. Case managers will work closely with families on options to transition them into more permanent housing solutions from the apartment and duplex units in Empire.
Read the article published in the Modesto Bee here
Board of Supervisors Agenda and Video