Our House and the City of Little Rock are launching a new virtual service to assist low-income, homeless, and near-homeless individuals and families who have been hard-hit by the economic fallout of the pandemic. Through a grant of $80,000 from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, Our House and the City of Little Rock have developed a Financial Resources Hotline to provide remote resource referrals and service delivery to residents of Little Rock. The hotline is free of cost and staffed by trained Navigators who will help callers understand and access the local, state, and federal resources available to them during this challenging time.

In a survey of clients impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, Our House found that 66% of the population it serves had lost employment or had their hours cut. Respondents shared that they experienced dramatic increases in stress levels due to factors like financial insecurity, social isolation, housing instability, lack of childcare, and joblessness. The City of Little Rock’s Department of Community Programs surveyed families slated to participate in the City’s Summer Youth Employment Program and found that 55% of this group has a high level of need.

Our House and the City of Little Rock have a 33-year track record of connecting individuals and families to a variety of wrap-around services. The Financial Resources Hotline will continue this work remotely to meet the needs of Little Rock’s most vulnerable communities. Little Rock joins 30 municipalities across the nation who are launching similar initiatives with the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. The Financial Navigators initiative is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Citi Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and the Wells Fargo Foundation.

“The City of Little Rock is thankful to the CFE Fund and Our House for providing this valuable resource to residents,” Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. said. “Providing remote assistance is one way this partnership is rising to the challenge and responding to the needs of our community.”

The Financial Resources Hotline will enable virtual assistance with accessing and maximizing public benefits like SNAP, health insurance, unemployment insurance, direct cash assistance with utility and rental payments, referrals to essential resources such as food pantries, transportation, and shelter, and financial and employment coaching, including connection to bank accounts.

Ben Goodwin, Executive Director of Our House, said that “financial stability through education, employment, and savings has always been the backbone of Our House’s approach. When the pandemic hit, we knew we needed to meet the needs of our clients in new ways. The Financial Resources Hotline is our way of helping people in our community who are experiencing unprecedented challenges. We know that navigating resources can be overwhelming, especially in such a rapidly changing environment. We are pleased to be able to offer people some help with this struggle, thanks to the generous investment from the CFE Fund and the great partnership we have with the City of Little Rock.”

The Financial Resources Hotline expands and improves upon a pilot hotline that Our House has been operating since April, which already receives more than 500 calls each month.

Residents can access these remote services by completing a simple web form at www.ourhouseshelter.org/hotline, or calling 501-291-0584 to sign up. Trained Navigators will be available to work on-on-one with callers Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

About the City of Little Rock’s Response to COVID-19
Residents may visit LittleRock.gov/covid19 for all information about the City’s efforts related to COVID-19, including the Small Business Emergency Assistance Program and Emergency Solutions Grants for homeless prevention, rapid re-housing, and street outreach. The Little Rock Cares Emergency Relief Fund benefits ongoing student feeding efforts and the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE). Donations of PPE are also accepted. Donate here or visit LittleRock.gov/covid19 and click on the Little Rock Cares Emergency Relief Fund button. Follow the City of Little Rock on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @CityLittleRock. Keep Covered and Keep your Distance.

About Our House
Our House empowers homeless and near-homeless families and individuals to succeed in the workforce, in school, and in life through hard-work, wise decision-making and active participation in the community. You can find out more about Our House by visiting www.ourhouseshelter.org or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.