Miriam’s Kitchen broadens reach to housing

Miriam’s Kitchen is now administering a program under a contract with the Department of Human Services to get more of D.C.’s homeless permanently off the streets.

Miriam’s Kitchen, founded to provide meals for the homeless three decades ago, expanded into providing case management services in 1997.

The nonprofit decided to further shift its focus last fall.

In its new role with the Permanent Supportive Housing Program in Washington, a staff of five case managers from Miriam’s Kitchen will work directly with individuals living in units scattered throughout the city. The program assists with chronic health problems, substance abuse and mental illness.

The case managers will also help those in the Permanent Supportive Housing Program set and keep appointments, develop budgets and with daily living skills. They will also help them find employment.

“The number of case management clients served at Miriam’s Kitchen has increased by at least 20 percent in each of the past three years, while our meals and advocacy programs have become increasingly comprehensive,” said Miriam’s Kitchen Pesident and CEO Scott Schenkelberg. “Expanding to provide case management services to people in the Permanent Supportive Housing program is the logical next step in our mission to end chronic homelessness in Washington, D.C.”

Its case managers will initially work with about 70 individuals in the housing program.

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