[Archived] City Of Alexandria Department Of Human Services Announces Hurricane Community Sponsorship Program (Hcsp)

City Press Release


	For Immediate Release	For More Information, Contact
	October 20, 2005 PIO# 311-05/sjm	Steven J. Mason, Public Information Officer, or Raynard Owens, Communications Officer, at 703.838.4300 Raynard Owens, Communications Officer, at 703.838.4300

CITY OF ALEXANDRIA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES ANNOUNCES
HURRICANE COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM (HCSP)

The City of Alexandria’s Department of Human Services (DHS) announces the launching of its Hurricane Community Sponsorship Program (HCSP), created to allow individuals, families, community groups and organizations who wish to help with disaster relief efforts by sponsoring a family displaced by the recent hurricanes affecting the Gulf states.

Modeled on DHS’s holiday “Sponsor-A-Family” program, the HCSP will match evacuees with organizations, individuals or families who want to help. The following HCSP guidelines will apply:

• Any individual, family, informal group or organization may offer to sponsor a family displaced by the hurricanes. Your group or organization must designate one person to be the point of contact with DHS.

• Sponsors must be flexible and understanding. Those who have been displaced from the Gulf states come to us with many and varied needs; some of their needs may be immediate, and some may be long-term. The DHS may have determined some of these needs, but others may not be immediately apparent. Some evacuees will remain in Alexandria indefinitely, while others will decide to resettle in another location or return to their homes. Some have family or personal resources available, whereas others do not.

• The families and individuals who wish to be sponsored have applied for federal or state benefits through the DHS. A team of caseworkers is available to help them access every service to which they are entitled. Inevitably, the government programs will not be able to meet every need that is presented. As a member of the Alexandria community, the sponsor(s) may be able to fill those gaps in assistance and ease the transition to our City for these newcomers.

• The families and individuals who wish to be sponsored have given their permission to match them with members of the Alexandria community and share their names and contact information with sponsors. Nevertheless, their privacy and confidentiality should be respected. Additionally, as it is sometimes quite awkward to be on the receiving end of charity, it is very important that sponsors be sensitive to the feelings of the adults as well as the children involved in this Program.

Potential sponsors may contact Suzanne Kratzok, Coordinator of Community Resources, City of Alexandria DHS at 703-838-0768 or e-mail for more information.

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