The Woodlands Edition - November 2019

Finding aid

Nonprofits around The Woodlands and Montgomery County offer assistance to the homeless.

W. PANTHER CREEK DR.

S. TRADE CENTER BLVD.

LAKE FRONT CIR.

RIVER POINTE DR.

336

105

INTERFAITH WAY.

PROSPECT POINT

336

BETTES ST.

FAMILY PROMISE OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY 1207 N. Thompson St., Conroe 936-441-8778 www.familypromiseofmc.org

MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOOD BANK 1 Food for Life Way, Conroe 936-271-8800 www.mcfoodbank.org

ANGEL REACH 206-A S. Loop 336 W., Ste. 203, Conroe 936-202-8498 www.angelreach.org

INTERFAITH OF THE WOODLANDS 4242 Interfaith Way, The Woodlands 281-367-1230 www.woodlandsinterfaith.org

COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS MONTGOMERY COUNTY 2257 N. Loop 336 W., Ste. 140363, Conroe info@mctxhomeless.org www.mctxhomeless.org

MONTGOMERY COUNTY WOMEN’S CENTER 1600 Lake Front Circle, Ste. 100, The Woodlands 936-441-4044. www.mcwctx.org

Aordable housing Only five apartments in The Woodlands offer subsidized housing, which allows residents to pay 30% of their adjusted income on rent and utilities, according to the U.S. Depart- ment of Housing and Urban Development. HOLLY CREEK APARTMENTS 333 Holly Creek Court, The Woodlands WOOD GLEN 3451 Tangle Brush Drive, The Woodlands TANGLE BRUSH VILLA 3300 Tangle Brush Drive, The Woodlands FAWN RIDGE APARTMENTS 12420 Sawmill Road, The Woodlands COPPERWOOD I & II 4407 S. Panther Creek Drive., The Woodlands

hold around individuals, is oper- ated with the Salvation Army in Con- roe. In emergencies, there may not be space for families to stay together, Heintz said. As of press time, updates on the construction of the shelters were not available from MCCD, but the shelters are still labeled as active on the - ve-year plan. HELPING THE HOMELESS Heintz said she believes the best way for residents to help the homeless in The Woodlands is to try and connect them to emergency shelters and sup- port agencies that are working to help homeless individuals. With organizations such as Inter- faith, Gomez said food drives and monetary donations are always wel- come, as they help feed and shelter displaced families. Other entities, such as the Montgom- ery County Food Bank and Interfaith, have arranged annual holiday bene- ts. The food bank has a holiday food drive running through Dec. , with donations being accepted at Glade Arts Foundation. Interfaith also encour- ages donations of canned goods and

personal care items through November and December. Grimes said she thinks a national change inmindset is needed to address the needs of the homeless. “I’m hoping Montgomery County and some of our elected ocials give these people a second chance,” Grimes said. “Some of them have made mistakes in their past, and it is being held over their head. Now, when some of them are seniors, they cannot get a house.” KARAMCINTYRE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS REPORT.

dollars, Ducharme said. According to MCCD Director Joanne Ducharme, parts of the ve-year plan were completed, although not nec- essarily as a result of county-funded initiatives. “The county did not expand shelter- ing, but sheltering expanded,” Ducha- rme said. “It does not necessarily have to be county funded. The Salvation Army [in Conroe] built an expanded shelter, and a couple of the other shel- ters added beds. Our department also funded some shelters that were able to expand services.” Ducharme said the empowerment center was built, but before it could open there was a change in board lead- ership and the building was given to Meals on Wheels, which will use it as an expanded kitchen. Meals onWheels acts indirectly as a homelessness pre- vention project by keeping elderly peo- ple in their homes and encouraging independent living. Heintz said MCCD is still working to build the two smaller homeless shel- ters, but it is difficult to find organi- zations that are willing and able to operate them. Montgomery County’s main emergency shelter, which can

For more information visit communityimpact.com .

Cost of living

According to 2017 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, median housing costs in The Woodlands area are higher than the statewide median rent of $952.

The median monthly housing cost is: $1,781 in The Woodlands area.

More than

of renting households are considered overburdened.

Overburdened: more than 30% of gross income is spent on housing

SOURCE:U.S.DEPARTMENTOFHOUSINGANDURBANDEVELOPMENT,U.S.CENSUSBUREAU/COMMUNITY IMPACTNEWSPAPER

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The Woodlands edition • November 2019