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Enews 10-14-21: Growing Diversity in Jo Co; Child Care Sustainability Grants; Health Insurance Deadlines

Enews 10-14-21: Growing Diversity in Jo Co; Child Care Sustainability Grants; Health Insurance Deadlines

2020 Census Data Shows Growing Diversity in Johnson County According to the 2020 U.S. Decennial Census results, Johnson County grew by 12% (65,684) between 2010 and 2020, outpacing regional and statewide growth. With that 12% growth, the population of the County has become more diverse. Over the past 10 years Johnson County’s non-white population grew by 51%. Non-white residents now comprise nearly 25% of the Johnson County population—a historic high. White residents, comprising 75.5% of the Johnson County population grew at a substantially smaller rate (3%) than any other racial or ethnic group other than American Indian and Alaska Native, ...
Enews 9-30-21: 2021 CoC NOFO Released; Continuum of Care; Kansas Promise Scholarship

Enews 9-30-21: 2021 CoC NOFO Released; Continuum of Care; Kansas Promise Scholarship

HUD releases 2021 CoC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), KS-505 publishes updated competition timeline The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released its FY2021 CoC NOFO - a national competitive funding opportunity for Continuums of Care (CoC) working to end homelessness. To view the FY2021 CoC NOFO, visit HUD’s website. UCS acts as Johnson County’s CoC lead agency (KS-505) and submits the application annually on behalf of local members in order to qualify for grant awards funding permanent supportive housing, rapid re-housing, homeless data management services and CoC planning. In July, KS-505 opened the application process locally prior ...
Enews 9-16-21: Emergency Housing Vouchers; Childcare, Rental and Utility Assistance; Expanded Child Tax Credit

Enews 9-16-21: Emergency Housing Vouchers; Childcare, Rental and Utility Assistance; Expanded Child Tax Credit

Johnson County’s Housing Authority and Continuum of Care on Homelessness Collaborate on Emergency Housing Vouchers As the lead agency for Johnson County's Continuum of Care on Homelessness (CoC), UCS works with Johnson County Government and other partners to coordinate resources and lead initiatives to support people experiencing homelessness. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased need in Johnson County, the CoC has been building momentum for broader engagement across partner agencies to be more responsive to emerging needs. An example of successful engagement is the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program, which launched in early August. The EHV program is administered ...
Enews 6-24-21: Human Service Summit Summary; COVID-19 Vaccination Event

Enews 6-24-21: Human Service Summit Summary; COVID-19 Vaccination Event

Event Summary: 2021 UCS Human Service Summit Building Healthy Communities = Raising the Bar UCS brought together more than 100 community members, service providers, elected officials, and educators for the 2021 Human Service Summit showcasing the recently finalized Johnson County Municipalities Housing for All Toolkit, and facilitating discussions focusing on Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Held virtually, the Summit was highly interactive, providing opportunities for participants to engage in breakout discussions, question and answer sessions, and online polls. Sheila Shockey of Shockey Consulting introduced the newly released Housing for All Toolkit, the culmination of the work of the Housing for ...
Enews 3-27-21: Human Service Summit; Housing Toolkit; Rental & Utility Assistance; ACA Enrollment; Broadband Support

Enews 3-27-21: Human Service Summit; Housing Toolkit; Rental & Utility Assistance; ACA Enrollment; Broadband Support

Register NOW for UCS' 2021 Virtual Human Service Summit Building Healthy Communities = Raising the Bar Join UCS for the 2021 Virtual Human Service Summit. This year’s Summit will focus on two key issues that impact the health and wellbeing of our community. UCS will unveil the Johnson County Municipalities Community Housing Toolkit and discuss implementation strategies following the recently released Johnson County Municipalities Community Housing Study, a part of a multi-year Healthy Communities Initiative addressing safe, stable, attainable housing across all ages and stages of life for those who live and work in Johnson County. The event includes a community ...
Enews 5-13-21: Human Service Fund Meeting; Homebuying Experience; Human Service Summit; Rental and Utility Assistance; ACA Enrollment Support

Enews 5-13-21: Human Service Fund Meeting; Homebuying Experience; Human Service Summit; Rental and Utility Assistance; ACA Enrollment Support

Human Service Fund Grant Cycle and Pre-Proposal Meeting The 2022 Human Service Fund (HSF) grant cycle is now open! Applications are due July 8, 2021 by 4:00 p.m. For the first time, HSF will be offering small grants through a Small Grants Pool RFP in addition to the regular HSF RFP. HSF provides grants to nonprofit agencies in support of human service programs that promote the well-being, personal safety and self-sufficiency of Johnson County residents. Approximately $435,000 is anticipated to be awarded in 2022 grants through the regular HSF application and the small grants application. For more information about UCS or ...
Enews 4-15-21: COVID-19 Impact on Employment; Rental and Utility Assistance; ACA Enrollment

Enews 4-15-21: COVID-19 Impact on Employment; Rental and Utility Assistance; ACA Enrollment

COVID-19 Impact on Employment: A Retrospective The COVID-19 shutdown began around the week of March 21, 2020. In the first month of the pandemic, nearly 28,000 Johnson County residents filed for unemployment insurance. Unemployment remained highest in occupations with low median annual wages: accommodation and food services, and health care and social assistance. However, even higher-income occupations such as manufacturing and professional services have higher rates of unemployment than in the pre-COVID era. Overall, more than 124,000 initial unemployment claims were filed in the one-year period between March 2020 and March 2021. See our latest fact sheet for a full ...
Enews 4-1-21: Women's History Month; Economic Outcomes for Women; ACA Enrollment Support

Enews 4-1-21: Women’s History Month; Economic Outcomes for Women; ACA Enrollment Support

Editorial - Women's History Month Reflections As we celebrated the role of women in society this past month, I took stock of my own experiences over the past thirty years as a professional primarily in the nonprofit sector. So many things have changed – or have they? Yesterday was Equal Pay Day, the number of months into the next year women need to work to equal in earnings what men earned the previous year. The Census Bureau notes this was the earliest date (three additional work months) the Equal Pay Day was reached in the 25 years the National Committee on Pay ...
Enews 3/18/21: 2020 Human Services Factsheet; COVID-19 Vaccination Resources

Enews 3/18/21: 2020 Human Services Factsheet; COVID-19 Vaccination Resources

Johnson County 's 2020 Human Services Factsheet Highlights Areas of Need for County's Vulnerable UCS released its annual Investments in Johnson County Human Services factsheet today. This annual information provides a snapshot of the types of services residents rely on to help meet household economic needs. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the most vulnerable residents in Johnson County during 2020, with job losses disproportionately affecting low wage occupations. While initial data shows that use of human services such as SNAP, TANF, and childcare assistance remained steady or dropped slightly in 2020, local data suggests an increase in need. For example, Johnson ...
Enews 3-4-21: Housing for All Task Force; Wages and Cost of Living in Johnson County

Enews 3-4-21: Housing for All Task Force; Wages and Cost of Living in Johnson County

Johnson County Housing For All Task Force Underway UCS, in partnership with Johnson County and its municipalities, recently launched the Housing for All Task Force, the next phase in a multi-year Healthy Communities Initiative addressing safe, stable, and attainable housing in Johnson County. Building on the findings from the recently released Johnson County Municipalities Community Housing Study, the Task Force brings together individuals from various sectors of the community, such as educators, employers, developers, residents, healthcare and social service providers, and community leaders to identify and develop implementation opportunities that best fit the goals and needs of the different cities ...

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