On Aug. 5, the Ontario Trillium Foundation announced the Grimsby Affordable Housing Partnership (GAHP) will receive $93,200 over two years, to hire a coordinator to help the organization get up and running.

GAHP, which was formed with local agencies, service organizations, faith groups and citizens, will develop headleases with local landlords and the Region to secure rental accommodations, then sublet suitable units to clients in need of affordable housing.

"This makes a large impact for us," says Gord Roddy, GAHP Chair. "We'll be able to have a full-time staff person and it will take a lot of burden off the volunteer board now."

Expected to have a public launch in the next couple of months, over the past year GAHP has been quietly working behind the scenes to provide affordable housing in Grimsby. After a series of information sessions in 2006, the regional officials identified Grimsby as an under-serviced area in terms of affordable housing. Since that time, local volunteers have worked together to form GAHP in hopes of providing a pool of local resources for residents to assist them in transitioning to self-sufficiency and secured housing.

"There is no affordable housing in Grimsby except for some seniors affordable living," said Mr. Roddy.

Meanwhile, it's estimated there are as many as 400 families qualified to receive subsidized housing.

"We've looked at all the stats," said Mr. Roddy. "We know there are 300 to 400 families that need help."

For some, he said, there is a myth that residents of Grimsby are well off, but it's fact that 6.9 per cent of Grimsby residents living in poverty.

"It's a bit invisible," Mr. Roddy said. "That's what people don't realize. This is something that is everywhere."

GAHP has already started its work, helping five families secure affordable housing through the program.

The program, the group stresses, is a "hand up", not a hand out. The client pays geared-to-income rent to GAHP, while GAHP in turn pays the negotiated rent to the contracted landlords. This ensures both the client and the landlord have secured tenancies.

The clients will also be encouraged, where necessary, to participate in local programs to benefit them in moving towards self-sufficiency. GAHP will meet with them to talk about what potential difficulties they may need to address to move towards that self-sufficient lifestyle.

"Whatever seems to be holding them back in life, we are going to try and mitigate that," said Mr. Roddy. "The rent subsidy will be intended to give them a breather to help them solve these difficulties."

If it's an issue such as education, they will hook up with the Adult Education program at Grimsby Secondary school. If it's teen issues, they will hook the family up with the Foundation of Resources for Teens (FORT). If it's addictions, they will be referred to addictions counsellors. A number of partners are already in place, said Mr. Roddy.

In September GAHP will outline its community action plan to prevent poverty and homelessness, followed by its public launch in the weeks following. Mr. Roddy said the not-for-profit organization is gratified to see how things have taken off and gotten rolling.

"It's been a lot of hard work on part of the volunteers," he said, noting GAHP is thankful for all of the people who have provided resources in terms of time and finances. "It's wonderful to get the support of the Trillium Foundation and hopefully this will allow us to continue to evolve."