Central Library on August 24 to Host Community Connection Series IV: Housing Assistance & Housing Programs

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) is excited to continue its Community Connection Series this Wednesday, August 24, at the Central Library downtown.

The focus of this week’s event, which will take place between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., will be housing assistance and programs. The Birmingham Urban League, First Light Shelter, One Roof, and Priority Veteran are among the local organizations slated to host tables at this Wednesday’s event. 

Birmingham Urban League

Founded in 1967 as an affiliate of the National Urban League, the Birmingham Urban League is a community-based organization dedicated to empowering communities and changing lives in the areas of education, jobs, housing, and health. The mission of the Urban League movement is to enable underserved residents to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights. 

First Light Shelter

The mission of First Light Shelter is to work with homeless women and their children to create hospitality in a safe, nurturing community and to encourage them to maintain dignity, to find hope, to seek opportunity, and to grow spiritually, thereby achieving their full potential.

One Roof

The vision for the One Roof Continuum of Care is for all community members to be appropriately, safely, and decently housed. The organization’s goal is to connect individuals and families to appropriate resources related to their housing and service needs. One Roof serves as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) homeless Continuum of Care (CoC) for Jefferson, St. Clair, and Shelby Counties.

Priority Veteran

Finally, Priority Veteran is focused on serving U.S. military veterans and their families who are homeless or at immediate risk of becoming homeless. Priority Veteran provides veterans with intensive one-on-one assistance to locate stable, permanent housing and links them to resources that help them gain the knowledge and skills necessary to remain financially stable. 

 Each week, the Community Connection Series brings together a handful of organizations to share information about opportunities, resources, and services related to a specific topic. Next week, mental health will be the focus of the series. The idea for the Community Connection Series sprang out of BPL’s recent Citywide Resource Fair, which offered library patrons and the public a chance to gather information about resources available to them through community-based organizations. 

With over 400 guests in attendance and 70 organizations and businesses represented, the city’s need for this type of event was more than evident. The environment, mental health, physical well-being, and volunteer opportunities are some of the subjects that will be addressed in future chapters of the Community Connection Series. 

The Community Connection Series takes place every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on the first floor of the Central Library. It is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there this Wednesday, August 24!

By Margaret Splane|Library Assistant III, BPL Development Department