The Rhode Island Coalition for the homeless marks the end of the year with an annual winter clothing drive, which begins Tuesday. Advocates said it provides a chance to look back on work done to combat homelessness, and the work ahead.
About a year ago, the coalition joined a national initiative known as Zero 2016, with the ambitious goal of ending chronic homelessness and homelessness among veterans in the Ocean State.
The group reached a least one of their stated goals, housing more than 200 veterans. But the success was marred by criticism from veteran’s groups, who said the suggestion that the state was on track to end homelessness among veterans risked drawing resources and attention away from veteran who remain on the streets.
The Coalition also housed more than 200 chronically homeless people in the state. In 2016 the group has new goals including getting people quickly into permanent housing, cutting down on weeks or months in shelters.
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