San Antonio’s SAMMinistries Gets $765k Boost for Transitional Housing
In an exciting development for families battling homelessness in San Antonio, SAMMinistries announced on Wednesday, April 24th, that it had received a significant grant of $765,081. The substantial funding was announced by Congressman Joaquin Castro and is geared towards strengthening the Transitional Living and Learning Center (TLLC), a crucial resource offering housing and service support to homeless families.
An Overview of SAMMinistries
Established in 2000, SAMMinistries stands as the most extensive provider of transitional housing services in the region. Over the years, the organization has successfully catered to the needs of over 800 vulnerable families, providing them with shelter for up to two years as they work on overcoming homelessness.
The TLLC is a cornerstone of their operations as it exists to provide both temporary residence and educational resources to help homeless families establish a secure future. The aid received from the grant will bolster the essential services and call to action by this entity.
Improving Energy Efficiency
One of the primary goals of the grant is to enhance the energy efficiency of the TLLC building, which is more than six decades old. Key planned enhancements include the replacement of obsolete windows, installation of select Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners (PTACs), and the mounting of water shut-off valves in the showers of the residents.
These upgrades are critical as they will help cut down on energy costs while ensuring that plumbing issues can be addressed in individual family units without any disruption to the water supply of the entire building. Apart from generating savings on operation expenses for SAMMinistries, these improvements will also significantly improve the living conditions for the families on the premises.
A Beacon of Hope for the Homeless
Over the years, TLLC has been instrumental in helping families transition from homelessness to stability. In 2022 alone, it provided aid to 262 residents, with 68% of the beneficiaries being children.
A shocking revelation is that between 60 to 70 percent of families obtaining shelter through TLLC are victims of family violence. Many of these families have been forced into homelessness while attempting to escape these dangerous situations.
The grant received by SAMMinistries comes as a beam of hope for these families in desperate need of support. With these funds in place, the organization can continue to provide much-needed services to homeless families and work towards eliminating homelessness in the society.