Centre Joins CANA in Grand Forks to Help Address Homelessness
In May 2024, Centre received an invitation to join the Community Agency Networking Association (CANA). The Grand Forks CANA group serves as the North Dakota Region IV homeless coalition, with a mission to advocate for ending homelessness through community awareness, outreach, prevention, and civic engagement. CANA is comprised of 33 local agencies, each offering diverse services and who are committed to combating homelessness in the Greater Grand Forks community. Other CANA members include Spectra Health, Job Service ND, Altru Health Systems, Northeast Human Services, GF Public Schools, and the UND Police Department.
As a member of the CANA group, Centre is represented by some staff from Grand Forks who participate in monthly meetings held on the second Wednesday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Grand Forks Job Service office. These meetings provide a platform for members to share agency updates, disseminate statewide homelessness statistics, inform others about available resources or grant opportunities, and discuss regional poverty and homelessness concerns. Additionally, a new speaker presents every other month, sharing insights about their agency’s current services or programs that may assist individuals facing homelessness. Centre is scheduled to present on March 12th, where we will outline our services offered and aim to network and build relationships with other community agencies.
CANA also collaborates with the ND Continuum of Care to conduct Point-in-Time (PIT) Counts in Region IV. This count aims to gather data on homelessness at local, state, and national levels. Volunteers dedicate a day, starting at 5 p.m. and continuing until 7 a.m., searching the region for unsheltered individuals. Areas searched include tents, vehicles, abandoned buildings, dumpsters, sheds, and any locations deemed unsuitable for habitation. The collected data is then uploaded to the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to generate statewide statistics, identify strengths and gaps in services, enhance public awareness, measure progress, and assist with future planning and responses. Representatives from Grand Forks Centre intend to share this information with the rest of the agency before the next PIT Count takes place so Centre can volunteer to help.
In addition to joining CANA in 2024, Centre made a monetary donation to support CANA’s New Start Nook, becoming one of the sponsors for this newly established program in Grand Forks. The New Start Nook is a “closet” that provides essential household items to individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness. To facilitate the move from unsheltered living to stable housing, the New Start Nook provides items that promote stability and comfort in new homes, including comforters, sheets, dishes, pots and pans, cleaning supplies, laundry soap, trash cans, and more. For those interested in supporting the New Start Nook, donations can be made here.
Liz Nesdahl
Care Coordinator
Grand Forks