Fall River has joined a growing list of cities around the country that are participating in a national movement to end homelessness. The mayor’s task force includes representatives of homeless service providers, the health care community, religious organizations, neighborhood organizations, consumers and law enforcement. This group is charged with developing a ten-year plan to end homelessness in the City of Fall River. The project is based on concepts developed by the Federal Interagency Council on Homelessness and the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Click here to read about the initial Herald News announcement of the Task Force.
 

(Pictured above, top row)  John O'Brien, Region I Director for the Interagency Council on Homelessness, summarized some of the approaches that other communities have successfully used to reduce or prevent homelessness. Susan Jenkinson, Executive Director of the Residential Care Consortium makes a point about local resources. (Center row, left) Task Force Co-Chair Nicholas M. Christ of Citizens Union Bank summarizes the discussion along with Co-chair Michael Coughlin, Health and Human Services Director for the City of Fall River. (Bottom row) Fall River Community Liaison Maureen Estes describes the initial outline of the ten-year plan while Catholic Social Services Director Arlene McNamee makes a point. Additional members of the Task Force include Stephen Long of the Community Development Agency, Robert Horne of the United Way of Greater Fall River, Michael Metzler of St. Anne's Hospital, Pat Auerbach of the Workforce Investment Board, Thomas Collins of the Fall River Housing Authority, Superintendent Richard Pavao of the Fall River Schools, Joseph Rodrigues of the Fall River CHRB, Kathleen Shedler-Clark and Rosa Medeiros of Steppingstone, Sandra Fitzsimmons of the MA Dept. of Social Services, Katherine Chmiel and David Weed of the MA Dept. of Mental Health, Ronald Rusin of the Fall River Realtors' Association, Attorney Arthur DeAscentis, and consumer James Herbert.

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