Start Corporation Annual Report
January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007
From January to December 2007, Start Corporation continued to offer individuals with mental, physical, and emotional challenges an opportunity for independence and self-reliance. Start Corporation remains a leader in the non-profit sector providing services and programs for persons affected with brain disease and mental health issues.
Start Corporation's core programs continued to provide top notch services to consumers. Related to specific mental health core services, Start maintained several services provided through contract with Region III Office of Mental Health. The Opportunity Center is a drop-in center for people with mental illness. The Center operated on a Monday to Friday basis from 10:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. at Start’s main office, located at 420 Magnolia Street. The Center is completely run by consumers and offers a hot lunch to participants for the cost of $1.00. Start Corporation partners with Second Harvester’s Food Bank to receive food in order to keep the cost of meal at a low price. Start Corporation also maintains a food bank for consumers in need at this location. We also provide free bus tickets to consumers at this location with assistance from Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government. Also among our core mental health services is our Recovery Skills Program that provides opportunities for mentally ill consumers who live independently to increase living skills. This program is funded by a contract with Region III Office of Mental Health. Skills Trainers in this program work to address activities of daily living with consumers. The program serves 20 consumers. Again through contract with Region III Office of Mental Health, Start Corporation operated the Transitional Living Center, or T.L.C. as it is known in the community. T.L.C. can house up to seven male residents with severe and chronic mental illness on a transitional basis. The stay depends upon the special needs of the individual. Consumers pay $250 per month for room, board, meals, and services.
In addition to our mental health services, Start Corporation also identified that housing was an issue for people with all disabilities, including mental illness. Start Corporation applied for and received grants from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to create four Permanent Supportive Housing Programs to support specific disability population who are homeless. Fresh Start Supportive Housing Program provides assistance in locating and securing safe and affordable permanent housing for persons and families who are homeless and disabled in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. Participants in this program can have a physical or mental disability to qualify. Starting Over Supportive Housing Program provides assistance in locating and securing safe and affordable permanent housing for persons who are homeless and severely mentally ill in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. This program is limited to people with severe mental illness. Safe Start Supportive Housing Program provides assistance in locating and securing safe and affordable permanent housing for persons who are homeless, disabled, and victims of domestic violence in Terrebonne, Lafourche, and Assumption parishes. And finally, Starting Point Supportive Housing Program provides assistance in locating and securing safe and affordable permanent housing for persons who are homeless and disabled in Assumption Parish. All of these services serve different populations, but offer basically the same basic services, including but not limited to budgeting, transportation, rental assistance, and any other service need to obtain and maintain permanent housing.
Start Corporation also continues to operate a Housing Facility Management division that identifies housing possibilities through various contacts with other agencies. Start Corporation is a designated Community Development Housing Corporation (CHDO) in Terrebonne Parish. Start Corporation manages apartment complexes and offer housing opportunities for individuals with disabilities and low incomes to provide stable, safe, and affordable housing options. During this year, we continued to manage Taddy Village, Larke, Village, Magnolia Street Apartments, Sunshine Village, and various other rental properties designated for special needs populations.
Start Corporation provides personnel and staffing services to aid in administering needed social services programs. During 2007, we provided daytime social services staff for Beautiful Beginnings Homeless Shelter through contract with the Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government.
Start Corporation is also pleased to annouce that a grant to create housing for homeless veterans in the amount of $424,000.00 was awarded to the agency from the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Supplemental funds were obtained in the amount of $125,000.00 for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas to assist with the required match for the program. This project is currently under developement and will hopefully be completed by the end of 2008.
With much activity, Start Corporation ended 2007 with a renewed commitment to its mission and purpose. The upcoming year will hopefully be as good, if not better, as we continue to offer individuals with mental, physical, and emotional challenges an opportunity for independence and self-reliance.
