IBERIA HOMELESS SHELTER INC

For over Sixteen years, Iberia Homeless Shelter has operated the only emergency shelter for men within the four-parish area of Iberia, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Vermilion. This past year, the shelter has opened its doors to families and females. Outreach and eradicating barriers facing homeless persons seeking permanent housing are the shelter’s primary goals. Emergency shelter staff conducts assessments for every client upon entry to the shelter, then work with the client to develop a housing stabilization plan, including referrals to mainstream services as needed.
Shelter clients live in a barrack styled facility, which a local philanthropist donated in 2002. The building, which has over 5,000 total square footage, houses a small library, mediation section, 28 beds, (15 for emergency and 13 for transitional), 6 personal showers and restroom. Clients get to enjoy a recreational area, including weight room, and air hockey table, mediation section, computer for clients to utilize at scheduled times, and a van to be used for essential services.
A volunteer Board of Directors and an Executive Director oversee the shelter’s programs. Three staff members, with over thirty-five years of experience in the areas of housing authority administration, human services and program development, manage shelter operations. A part time outreach case manager and HMIS Data Clerk assist the Executive Director with cases and HMIS data input. A core of 20 volunteers assist in the shelter’s operation. Iberia Homeless Shelter’s programs, including past ESG-funded projects, have been instrumental in housing hundreds of homeless men, thus enabling them to become stable. Funding of this grant will help us to continue providing a person for outreach services.
Shelter clients live in a barrack styled facility, which a local philanthropist donated in 2002. The building, which has over 5,000 total square footage, houses a small library, mediation section, 28 beds, (15 for emergency and 13 for transitional), 6 personal showers and restroom. Clients get to enjoy a recreational area, including weight room, and air hockey table, mediation section, computer for clients to utilize at scheduled times, and a van to be used for essential services.
The Board of Directors and Certified Public Accountant Firm, Casting, Hussey, Lolan LLC CPA Firm manages the shelter’s fiscal affairs, which includes overseeing all funds, checks, accounting, fiscal statements, expenditures, project draw-downs, annual compilations, and audits. The CPA firm utilizes financial management policies, procedures and protocols that follow city, federal, state, and local government requirements. Firm accountants are the only ones that process all expenditures; invoices; client’s housing checks; and utilities upon request from the shelter director. All invoices pertaining to the ESG Grant are submitted to the Grantee (ARCH) for expenditures and refunds. No staff member has access to any shelter funds, cash, draw downs, or checking systems. The HMIS software contract has included a “Fund Manager” component, for HPRP funds. The most recent HUD monitoring of the shelter determined that we have administered the program in accordance with all HUD regulations. Iberia Homeless had no findings or deficiencies. (Report available upon request)
Iberia Homeless Shelter’s ESPG activities and components are designed to help provide stability and rapid access to permanent housing for homeless people, with the overall goal of ending chronic homelessness in the local area and within the CoC region. .
The shelter will provide 58-120 unaccompanied homeless men with emergency shelter during a 12-month period. The program business hours are Monday through Friday 8am-6pm; however, the shelter makes provisions for emergency intake 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. All clients will be assessed, utilizing the CE assessment tool VI SPADT, to identify and assist them in removing or overcoming barriers to housing and self-sufficiency. Case managers will help clients develop a Housing Plan of Action; also, after initial VI SPAT score, clients are placed on the COC Binary list for available housing resources. Clients are then directed to the most appropriate resources available for their need assessment.