ELDRED — Students at Otto-Eldred Elementary School participated in a Genius Hour Project, and three students choose to collect donations for the area’s homeless.
The students had been asked to pick a topic of interest, research the topic, pick a service project or invent something new. Three students picked service projects that learn about homeless populations, setting up donation boxes at the local grocery store and around the school.
The donated items were presented by the students to staff of the McKean County Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Housing and Homeless Services Department. Housing case managers recognized the students’ hard work by presenting students Kyla Andreano, Josh Brewer and Joe Cornell, with certificates of appreciation.
When housing case managers asked the students what they had learned, they said they “learned that homeless people can be anyone. They can be children, adults, people who have been in the military and people who have mental illness.”
McKean County Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Housing and Homeless Services Department was established in March 2015 to address the increase in homelessness in McKean County. The department consists of director Linda Thompson, and three housing case managers, Jen Bowers, Michelle Hatch and Missy Robinson, with offices located in Bradford and Kane. From July 1, 2016 to May 1, 2017, the department has served 229 unduplicated households throughout McKean County. The program assists households that are literally homeless or near homeless.
In addition to serving the homeless population, the housing case managers also focus on diversion to help prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless. An additional service the Housing and Homeless department offers is financial literacy, funded through The United Way of Bradford Area. This class provides helpful information to effectively manage money and lessen financial stress. Services also includes connecting households to services to stabilize housing situations.
The McKean County Redevelopment and Housing Authority participates in the McKean County Housing Coalition. The coalition is comprised of businesses, faith-based community, service providers, Department of Human Services and community members.
