HACC Received 5 Awards of Merit for Client Programs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information Contact:
Ashley Short, Executive Assistant
217-378-7100 Ext. 5028
Email Ashley
THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY RECEIVED 5 AWARDS OF MERIT FOR CLIENT PROGRAMS
Champaign, IL. June 10, 2020. The Housing Authority of Champaign County is committed to improving the lives of the clients we serve and the community as a whole. As a Moving to Work (MTW) Agency, our primary mission is to create quality living environments as a foundation for individuals to achieve their full potential, and we have a fundamental belief in "service above all else." In 2018, HACC conducted a detailed survey of our clients, community partners, and employees. The purpose of these surveys was to establish a detailed needs assessment, develop a plan to fill gaps in service provision, and improve our overall relationship with our clients and the community. As a result, several client programs were developed and implemented.
On June 8, 2020, HACC received 5 Awards of Merit from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) for the following client-based programs: A Princess Night Out, Affordable Housing Panel Discussions, the Creation of the HACC Enrichment Foundation, the Employee Engagement Initiatives, and the Re-entry Transitional Housing Program.
"The NAHRO Agency Awards Program was developed to give national recognition to agencies that represent the best in housing and community development. Despite all the unrest that is going on in our country, this news comes at the perfect time. The work that HACC's team put into improving our community last year exemplifies our mission of providing service above all else to our Champaign County" - David A. Northern, Sr., Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
In addition to receiving an Award of Merit, the Re-entry Transitional Housing Program is also being considered for the more distinguished accolade, the Award of Excellence. NAHRO has specifically identified our Re-entry Transitional Housing Program as being unique and highly innovative in meeting the needs of our clients and the community. Programs considered to be among the top tier in service, innovation, and achievement are chosen to compete at a higher level for the Award of Excellence, and awardees will be notified at a later date.
The Champaign County Re-entry Council identified housing as the key issue impacting the success of individuals returning from prison. In order to prevent homelessness and reduce recidivism, HACC partnered with two local non-profits, FirstFollowers and WIN Recovery, to provide a Re-entry Transitional Housing Program for individuals returning to the community from incarceration. HACC provided two transitional houses with operating subsidies to create a safe, stable living environment for re-entry clients. The non-profits provide case management and other support services to help them rebuild their lives. Upon successful completion of the program, clients will become eligible for the MTW Housing Choice Voucher Program.
HACC is extremely honored to receive this special recognition from such a prominent and outstanding member organization as NAHRO. It is a unique privilege for one of our programs to be considered for the Award of Excellence. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our clients, community partners, donors, and vendors for helping us create these programs. We are truly committed to providing effective innovative programming to help increase the self-sufficiency of our clients. We look forward to collaborating with more of our community partners to develop opportunities for the advancement of our most vulnerable and underserved populations.
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For more information, visit www.hacc.net, and for questions/concerns, please email Concerns or call 217-378-7100 ext. 5001.
