For Immediate Release: February 25, 2005
Contact: Jill Cox, 463-5013 or 215-4341
Durham and Orange Commit to 10-year Plans to
End Homelessness
Chronic Homelessness on the Rise
Durham and Orange County officials today announced commitments to create 10-Year Plans to End Homelessness. This effort begins, as the results of a new point-in-time count of people who are homeless is released for the region.
Durham Mayor Bill Bell today announced Durham's commitment to the creation of a 10-year Plan to End Homelessness. Bell has also signed onto a national covenant with other mayors to end homelessness.
To facilitate the planning process, Durham hired Ruth Peebles who has experience in fundraising, strategic planning, and marketing for nonprofits. She is an instructor for Duke University's Certificate Program in Nonprofit Management. Peebles will officially begin work on March 1 and will have an office at Triangle United Way.
Orange County leaders responded to the call to create a 10-year plan by creating a Partnership to End Homelessness, which currently includes the Towns of Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, Orange County, Triangle United Way, as well as local non-profit organizations. Carrboro will formally consider joining the Partnership in March. The Partnership will be responsible for creating a process for developing a 10-year plan to end homelessness in Orange County.
Triangle United Way continues to work with both communities as they launch their planning processes. Triangle United Way president Craig Chancellor served as Steering Committee Co-chair for the Raleigh/Wake 10-year Action Plan to End Homelessness.
A new count of people who are homeless in the region, conducted on a single night in January, revealed 1871 people without a place to call home.
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