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Highlands Today

Stimulus Money Goes To Local Homeless

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By GARY PINNELL

Highlands Today

Published: March 27, 2009

SEBRING - Highlands County will receive $302,000 to help the homeless.

The grant comes from a $1.5 billion federal stimulus fund, said Richard Reinhardt, executive director of Highlands County Coalition for the Homeless.

About $784,000 is coming to DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee counties; $301,882 is allocated to Highlands.

Since the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing grant is "new" money, a meeting of non-profit agencies will be held in April to decide how to distribute the money, Reinhardt said.

The money can be spent on rental assistance, security and rental deposits, utility payments, moving costs and hotel and motel vouchers.

"I hate to spend it on hotel-motel vouchers," Reinhardt said, because it's not a permanent solution.

It cannot be paid on credit card bills, travel costs, food, clothing, home furnishings, pet care, or medical and dental care.

More info: 452-1086.

Highlands Today senior reporter Gary Pinnell can be reached at gpinnell@highlandstoday.com or 863-386-5828

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