Test one two, testing one two.

Hi, good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Counselor Miguel Sanchez.

I am calling the public hearing of Special Committee on Ways and Means the Order.

Thank you so much to everyone who's here to participate in this process.

And then uh next door, we have uh counselors uh Graves and Davidson, who are committee members, and then also want to recognize Count uh Majority Leader Espinal for being here, uh Chairwoman Harris, uh, Chairman Oscar Vargas, thank you so much.

Of course, our lovely city solicitor to the left of me, and our wonderful clerks.

Uh, thank you so much.

Um, so yeah, we're gonna get this hearing started.

Um, if anyone wants to partake in the conversation, please uh sign up.

Uh there's a sheet right here.

Where is our city side?

We have Crystal and Sarah, a very crucial part of this process.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you.

So the first person who's gonna present is uh Michelle Woolcox, uh CEO of Crossroads.

Thank you.

Thanks, good evening, um members of the council.

Um very happy to be here.

Thank you for your continued partnership with Crossroads.

Um I'm here to express support of the proposed budget and in particular uh appreciation and support for the um 129,350 grant uh in the ongoing investment uh in Crossroads Rhode Island and the people that we serve in Providence.

Um as you probably know, Crossroads has been serving Rhode Islanders for more than 130 years.

Uh we're the state's leading provider of housing and related services uh for people experiencing homelessness.

Last year we provided uh housing and housing related services to nearly 4800 men, women and children across the state, and we manage more than 375 uh apartments throughout the state, many of which are in Providence.

Providence and the state as a whole continue to face a severe housing crisis.

The biggest challenge is not a lack or willingness to help people, it's a lack of housing options.

And the people coming to Crossroads today are often having increasingly complex needs, including chronic health conditions, behavioral health challenges, and histories of trauma.

And stable housing absolutely remains the foundation for addressing all of those challenges.

City funding helps ensure that vulnerable Providence residents can access housing, shelter, case management, and supportive services.

And the city's investment really demonstrates that addressing homelessness requires strong partnerships between local government, nonprofits, health care providers, and the community.

At a time when many nonprofit organizations face uncertainty around federal funding, um, these local partnerships are really more important than ever.

Crossroads is not only responding to homelessness, we're helping create permanent solutions.

As you know, last December, we completed construction of the Summer Street Apartments, the largest permanent supportive housing in New England.

We created 176 new homes for our neighbors experiencing homelessness.

Later this year, we'll complete construction on the health and housing apartments.

This is an innovative development that will provide 35 permanent supportive apartments for medically vulnerable people experiencing homelessness in the city.

Together with future investments, we hope to create a total of 300 uh new permanent supportive apartments in Providence with these uh projects.

So in closing, I want to thank the council again for your support and the administration for recognizing the important role that community nonprofits play in the city, and uh thank you for your ongoing support of Crossroads Rhode Island.

Thank you.

Thank you, and thank you to Crossroads Earth and of you for our residence.

Thank you.

Uh next up, we have and please correct me if I mispronounce uh any of the names, uh from Amos House.

We have Kelly Mara Oh Bentley.

Uh I feel like the last name would be a good one.

Very close, thank you, very close.

Uh good evening, everyone.

My name is Paul of Hoje.

I'm the chief program officer at the house.

And I want to talk a little bit about uh the hand-up program.

Uh so the city support of the hand up program allows us to continue to connect with some of our most vulnerable neighbors, provide them with paid opportunities, and beautify and clean up areas of the city with a focus on our home base, which is the Southside community.

We are working with folks who are experiencing homelessness, have little to no income, and many who are also struggling with behavioral health issues or addiction, sometimes both and more.

Uh folks are receiving critical assistance from a hand up with basic needs items, accessing shelter, health care, including behavioral health supports, obtaining bio documents, access and benefits, etc.

So through this program, we're able to also provide an experience where folks can learn new skills such as tree care, farming and landscaping, uh, to explore what it might take to pursue employment and to interact with their own community in a new way.

Participants are picking up thousands of gallons of trash a year from our city sidewalks and lots and take a lot of pride in what they do.

And I imagine that some folks here in this room have seen our crews out and about inaction.

So, you know, we're on Elmwood, we're in Onleville, we're in Trinity Square.

You might have seen us on Huntington Avenue, which has been a long-term project for us.

Um, and this year, crews were even able to assist with snow removal efforts, um, shoveling around critical walkways during this unprecedented winter too.

It is simply amazing what folks can do and what they can accomplish when working together towards a common goal, and we see that every day in our work with a hand-up crews, and so in that spirit, we look forward to what we hope will be a continued partnership with the city and working with our most vulnerable neighbors.

Thank you.