Wilshire has launched a new rental and utility assistance program that will help meet immediate needs in our community. The initiative will be funded by about $81,000 in Missions Plus funds drawn from surplus giving to Wilshire’s 2023 Unified Budget.
The program was born out of learnings from last year’s housing advocacy cohort and represents what that group felt we had to offer to Dallas County’s housing crisis. Some of the cohort’s learnings were:
- For the first time in three years, money from the pandemic-related federal CARES Act is no longer available to many nonprofit agencies, leaving • large gap in the community for this service.
- Dallas County residents are being evicted at higher rates now than before the pandemic, and 70% of evictees are single moms.
- According to research, when families and individuals remain housed, all other social determinants of health stabilize and lead to greater security.
While the problem is big, expensive and complex, we also feel doing nothing isn’t an option. So while we may not be able to contribute to the need for more affordable housing, we do have this to offer: grace in the form of a gift given without expectation; a listening, empathetic ear; a heart to love; and the hope of restoring dignity and worth to those who often go unseen.
The program will serve any neighbor living in Dallas County by helping pay one overdue monthly rent payment or one month’s overdue utility payment per calendar year while expecting nothing in return from the neighbor. Since January, we have helped 14 individuals. Stop by the church office and check out our new cards to learn more. If you’re interested in volunteering, contact Abbey Adcox at aadcox@wilshirebc.org.