COMMUNITY ENTITY
The Central Okanagan Foundation, in the role of the Community Entity, is responsible for managing the Reaching Home; Canada’s Homelessness Strategy funds under the Government of Canada and plays a leadership role in the implementation of Housing First in Kelowna. The Community Entity provides support and guidance to the Community Advisory Board on Homelessness to assist with the approval of sub-project agreements.
REACHING HOME
The Government of Canada has announced the redesigned Homelessness Partnering Strategy – Reaching Home, to take effect April 1, 2019. It will be replacing the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS).
As part of Canada’s first-ever National Housing Strategy, which is a 10-year, $40 billion plan to lift hundreds and thousands of Canadians out of housing need, Reaching Home will work with communities toward reducing chronic homelessness by 50% over the next 10 years. Through this new strategy, the Federal Government will double support to the 61 designated communities, as well as adding new communities through an application process. The funding will be delivered directly to municipalities and local service providers.
The Central Okanagan Foundation has proven experience in delivering Federal homelessness activities in the community, having successfully served as the Community Entity under the Homelessness Partnering Strategy for 7 years.
Through the Reaching Home community-based approach, the Central Okanagan Foundation will continue in their role as the Community Entity assisting the community address challenges by collaborating with the province, indigenous organizations, and local not for profits and private sector stakeholders to prevent and reduce homelessness.
* For a definition of Housing First, click here.
COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD ON HOMELESSNESS
The Community Entity supports the Community Advisory Board on Homelessness (CAB-H).
The CAB-H is comprised of community stakeholders to facilitate the delivery of Reaching Home in Kelowna and to engage stakeholders and funding partners to work together to prevent and reduce homelessness.
REACHING HOME COMMUNITY PLAN
REACHING HOME COVID-19 DIRECTIVES
REACHING HOME FUNDED PROJECTS
Reaching Home Community Homelessness Report
Infrastructure of Canada (INFC) defines the Community Homelessness Report (CHR) as, “an annual Reaching Home reporting deliverable that supports communities to prevent and reduce homelessness using a more coordinated, systems-based, and data-driven response. The CHR is designed to support local discussions and decision making, with a focus on the full picture of homelessness at the community level and the collective efforts of service providers working across the homeless-serving system to address it.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home Strategy

For more information about the Central Okanagan Foundation’s Community Entity program, please contact:
Contact:
Anna-Lyn Albers
Community Entity Coordinator
E: anna@centralokanaganfoundation.org
Ph: (250) 861-6160
Cheryl Miller
Director, Grants and Community Initiatives / Community Entity Manager
E: cheryl@centralokanaganfoundation.org
Ph: (250) 861-6160
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