IRC in Tallahassee's Survivors Housing Assistance Program 2021

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Tallahassee proposes to utilize OVC FY2021 Housing Assistance for Victims of Trafficking funds to provide short-term housing assistance in Florida’s 10-county Big Bend region of Franklin, Liberty, Gadsden, Wakulla, Leon, Jefferson, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf and Taylor counties. The IRC’s provision of housing services acknowledges the foundational role safe and secure housing plays in all survivors’ recoveries, for survivors of all forms of human trafficking, including sex and labor and regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, orientation, country of origin and immigration status, in this historically underserved region.

Through this funding, the IRC will 1) provide high-quality short-term housing assistance and support services, utilizing a housing first, low barrier model, to victims of all forms of trafficking, 2) expand collaboration with local partners (e.g., housing and service providers, community and faith-based organizations), and, through training focused on all forms of trafficking, ensure that victims are properly identified and referred for appropriate housing and services, 3) enhance interdepartmental and interagency collaboration and ensure a coordinated community response to the employment and housing needs of victims of human trafficking, 4) increase victims households’ ability to maintain permanent, independent housing through short-term housing assistance and ongoing support services, and 5) ensure validity of the IRC’s short-term housing assistance program through internal monitoring and analysis of outcomes and data.

These activities will result in 1) 36 victim households receiving the client-centered, trauma-informed case management services they need to have their housing and other needs immediately addressed and durable solutions developed and 2) at least 350 individuals will be educated about human trafficking through trainings, tailored to their circumstances thereby improving learning outcomes.