Riedel Foundation grant to help Project Community Connect prevent homelessness in Hannibal

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The George H. Riedel Foundation has awarded $5,000 to help people who face a housing crisis.

Project Community Connect (PCC) is annual an event that provides access to quality-of-life services for people in need. At that event, the group accepted applications for housing assistance for people who have exhausted all other options. Funding from the Riedel Foundation will assist those households identified in Hannibal facing housing crises, providing them with resources to regain stability.

In a press release, LeAndra Bridgeman with Project Community Connect said, “Stable, affordable housing is often cited as a top concern in the Hannibal area. If we can help a family through a crisis and keep them in their home, they’re more likely to have a favorable outcome.”

PCC received a $7,500 award in 2022 from the Riedel Foundation for housing needs. That grant provided all the funding for housing in 2022. Using that money, PCC prevented homelessness or provided assistance to obtain housing for 38 people in 20 households within the Hannibal city limits.

PCC brings together the various agencies that help people in need. At its annual event, attendees get a one-stop-shopping approach to all the services available. The programs represented at the event provide support for addressing variables that can be challenging and create obstacles for people in meeting their basic needs. They offer services such as medical screening, vaccinations, treatment vouchers, behavioral health support for adults, teens, and children, housing assistance, employment assistance, child care, veterans services, help with obtaining birth certificates and state IDs and other forms of financial assistance to overcome these barriers.