Washington, D.C. – The National League of Cities (NLC) is thrilled to congratulate the 2022 Capstone Challenge Series winning group – Pallet Shelter, the City of Huntington, WV, and the City of Northglenn, CO. The Capstone Challenge Series is an annual program to match private sector partners with member cities on short-term, pro-bono projects to benefit their municipalities. The most innovative and impactful project received an award, announced on February 28.
“I offer my congratulations to our Capstone Challenge winners at Pallet Shelter, the City of Huntington, and the City of Northglenn for showing the power of true partnership in making tangible change for our communities,” said NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony. “Pallet convened cross-sector groups of city and county leaders, service providers, housing authorities, public safety bodies, and experts to assess the homelessness crisis in each city and took strong and tangible steps toward addressing it. The residents of Huntington and Northglenn are already benefiting from this innovative collaboration, and this project can serve as a model for other municipalities looking to address homelessness in their own communities.”
Addressing Homelessness Through Holistic Plans and Innovative Programs
Pallet Shelter’s Advisory Services team provided individualized support for the City of Northglenn, CO, and the City of Huntington, WV, to address homelessness with holistic strategies backed by data and best practices. In collaboration with city staff, Pallet and city leaders explored programs and identified gaps and potential improvements in social services, emergency shelter, and permanent housing strategies, as well as policies, regulatory changes, and funding sources to end homelessness. With Northglenn, Pallet developed a “Report on Homelessness in Northglenn, Colorado: Solutions, Strategies, and Interim Shelter Bed Implementation Guide.” The plan includes step-by-step instructions for developing more emergency shelters, including specific locations, service providers, and budgets needed to bring projects to fruition. With Huntington, Pallet found seven primary recommendations for addressing homelessness and focused on implementing one – a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT). With Pallet’s support, the city launched a CIT to handle active mental health crises for people experiencing homelessness and/or substance use disorder.
“Pallet is honored to be recognized by the NLC and proud to have partnered with local leaders and community experts in the cities of Northglenn, CO and Huntington, WV,” said Amy King, CEO, and founder of Pallet. “We are excited to continue to advance tailored solutions for homelessness such as the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) in Huntington. There is no one answer for unsheltered homelessness, but with comprehensive and actionable strategic plans designed to cities’ individual needs like those in Northglenn and Huntington, we can combat the crisis.”
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Pallet is a Public Benefit Corporation working to end unsheltered homelessness, provide rapid shelter to those displaced by disaster, and give people a fair chance at employment. Our transitional shelter villages help bridge the gap from living on the street to finding permanent housing.
The National League of Cities (NLC) is the voice of America’s cities, towns, and villages, representing more than 200 million people across the country. NLC works to strengthen local leadership, influence federal policy and drive innovative solutions. Stay connected with NLC on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.