Clarksville TN – March 1st, 2012 marked another opportunity for a single parent to have a second chance. Through a collaborative partnership with the LEAP Organization and Millan Enterprises, the parent was awarded an apartment unit and is eligible to receive two vouchers making her rent free for the first two months. After which, based on compliance with the program can receive an additional 2 vouchers that will make her rent half off the market value.
As needed she may even receive additional vouchers of up to $100.00 off the rent.
Clarksville can be described as diverse in many respects. Our economy and population growth is driven by the presence of the military base on Fort Campbell, KY. Over the past decade soldiers have been frequently deployed leaving behind wives and children who must cope with the deployment. Often times the husband comes back with issues related to deployment resulting in domestic violence and mental/abuse.
In 2010 there were 342 domestic violence incidents involving active duty military. In 2011 there were 451 domestic violence incidents involving active duty military. Dave Chapman from Fort Campbell Social Work Services said there were over 1800 incidents involving active duty military and some type of family violence. With the young wives often not familiar with the area and separated from family and friends they often have limited resources to sustain their severed family.
The domestic violence victims that required the level of assistance provided in transitional housing programs typically have children, lack education and significant sustained employment, may be isolated from their community by ethnic group or geographic location and may have substance abuse or mental health issues related to their victimization and isolation.
The goals of the LEAP Transitional Housing Program are to provide targeted resources to provide safe affordable transitional housing, intensive and specialized transitional housing case management, and provide the specialized contractual services to offer transitional housing clients the mental health and substance abuse counseling and job training and placement services necessary to move them to independence.
In an effort to meet the demand for affordable housing, LEAP has launched an online campaign requesting members of the community to commit to donating at least $5.00 month as a recurring automatic draft to aide LEAP in purchasing existing apartment units. For more information or to donate please visit www.leaporg.net/donate or call 931.245.6922.
