Cincinnati provided $3.25 million for 36 human services programs, which leveraged another nearly $21 million from other sources during the last fiscal year.
The United Way administers the processes for proposals, provides monitoring and technical assistance, and audits reviews.
"With this funding, 13,380 city of Cincinnati residents participated in programs and services designed to reduce homelessness, increase gainful employment and prevent violence," said United Way Community Impact Coordinator Dionne Owens at a Cincinnati Council committee meeting Monday.
Owens says the violence prevention effort is paying off with young people. Eighty-eight percent of at-risk youth reported decreased or no involvement in violent behavior after nine months. And 93 percent of youth demonstrated they were able to resist unhealthy/risky situations.
Owens says Strategies to End Homelessness used part of its funding to prevent homelessness, saving money.
"Shelter diversion was able to divert over 300 additional families from literal homelessness, saving over $900,000," Owens says.
The report found more than 2,000 households exited to positive housing outcomes.
In the gainful employment category, more than 1,200 people completed job readiness or job training programs, more than 700 people obtained employment, and 40 percent of those were able to retain employment 12 months after entry.
In the last fiscal year, Cincinnati provided $3 million for programs reducing homelessness and increasing gainful employment. Another $250,000 was targeted toward violence prevention.
The city has been funding human services programs since 1981. When it started, 1.5 percent of the city's general fund was dedicated to supporting these efforts. That amount has been reduced in recent years because of tight budgets and deficits.
Human Services 2017 by WVXU News on Scribd
