City of Rochester
News Release
(Monday, Oct. 16, 2023) – Mayor Malik D. Evans has
announced that the City of Rochester is making new investments to expand the
Family Resource Center at the Rochester Public Library, where unhoused families
and other individuals in need can find critical family crisis support services.
“Just like other libraries across America, the Rochester
Public Library (RPL) represents a hidden front in the war on poverty and
homelessness,” said Mayor Evans. “These investments will give the people who
are leading that fight the tools they need to help our residents get back on
their feet and return to the path of reaching their full potential. By
strengthening families, we are moving closer to create a safe, equitable and
prosperous Rochester by inspiring hope and delivering opportunity for
everyone.”
The Library
has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking human-service providers
who can engage with the many unhoused individuals and their families, along
with other individuals in need, to connect them to services that can help them
return to permanent housing, find employment, and strengthen other protective
factors that form the foundation of security and growth. Proposals are due by
Friday, Nov. 17.
The Family Resource Center located in the Central Library
already provides social and emotional support services for thousands of
unhoused families and individuals each year as parents and children without
housing often spend their days in the library to escape the weather and stay
occupied. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the RPL is seeing a growing number
of individuals take advantage of these services.
Two community agencies, Person Centered Housing Options and
MC Collaborative, have been providing these services on a voluntary basis since
2014. As part of the investments, the City will enter formal, paid contracts to
allow these agencies to expand their service offerings in the library.
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The Administration of Mayor
Malik D. Evans strives to create a safe, equitable and
prosperous Rochester by inspiring hope and delivering opportunity for everyone.
Guided by the Administration’s Mission, Vision and Values and the principles of the “Rochester
2034” comprehensive plan, City employees are committed to providing
exceptional customer service, transparent stewardship, and collaborative
leadership to foster a vibrant community that empowers personal, professional
and generational growth for all who live, work or play in the city of Rochester.