Whitehorse – An additional $500,000 in funding to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak is being provided to the Yukon through Reaching Home, a Canadian government initiative aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. As the Community Entity, the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition is accepting brief proposals from service providers up to6 $20,000 per project to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 amongst people who are homeless or precariously housed.
“Wrapping support around the most marginalized members of our communities is essential as we navigate this pandemic together" says Kate Mechan, Safe at Home Implementation Manager. "This COVID-19 response funding will enable us to be responsive to the unique needs of vulnerable Yukoners - particularly those who have no choice but to exist in public spaces."
The funding is meant to improve capacity to prevent the infection from spreading amongst people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Funding is available to: secure housing; provide accommodation for those needing to be quarantined; purchase materials to reduce transmission; increase the frequency of cleaning; purchase beds and physical barriers; provide staffing to operate new facilities; and to secure sufficient support for individuals who may be isolated from their community including transportation.
“We are hoping to get proposals from across the territory, as we know the concern is high,” says Kristina Craig, Executive Director, YAPC. “It’s also an opportunity to assess what the needs are and how to use other available funding strategically to support people during this unsettling time.”
Applications will be reviewed weekly and funding will be distributed throughout the territory as quickly as possible. Expenditures incurred starting April 1, 2020 will be accepted if considered eligible. For more information and an application form, go to www.yapc.ca or contact JP Steverink at rhprogramofficer@yapc.com.