Drupal

 

The future of Mercy House is dependent on the needs of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham community.   Over the past 20 years, Mercy House has changed as the face of homelessness has changed. We have adapted programs to suit clients’ needs and we have adopted new programs as gaps in services were recognized.

 

The immediate goals of the Mercy House staff and board of directors is to define and refine their three new programs, Angel Food Ministries, Sandal House, and the Homeless Intervention Program, until they operate at the high standards the community has grown to expect from our organization. Please see our Recent Additions page for more information about these programs.

 

Like most of the populace, Mercy House has been paying close attention to the state of the economy, the large number of home mortgage foreclosures and the lack of workforce housing in our community. We are considering the impact of the Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008 and the Homeowners’ Aid Act. We know that some local builders have applied for and received tax credits for construction. However, it seems that the income range for families who will be eligible for this type of housing is very small. 

 

While help is on the way for some debt-plagued homeowners, it just may not be fast enough or broad enough to keep many from losing their residences as they await assistance. Mercy House is in preparation to rearrange its’ resources if there becomes a vast increase in the number of homeless families in our community. Due to the shortage of affordable workforce housing, Mercy House will continue to look for Transitional Housing opportunities.

 

As a member of the Continuum of Care Coalition, Mercy House will follow the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Continuum’s 2, 5 and 10 year plans to end homelessness.

 

We have many future goals, of which our main focuses are:

-          Expanding our facilities so that we no longer have a waiting list of people needing shelter.

-          Build a larger, more modern facility and create space for a certified childcare center. 

-          Expand the VIDA program so that more families can afford education and home and business ownership.

 

Mercy House belongs to several coalitions to help meet the needs of families at-risk and will continue to work with those coalitions and look for more opportunities for future collaborations and coalitions.

 

Mercy House is an unapologetic Christian organization. We trust the Lord to work His order into our agenda and we will use our ideas, resources and energy to meet the needs of people in a housing crisis.