NBC 6 Exclusive--Sequester to cancel VOA Highland Haven Program...
By: Alese Underwood
Updated: February 26, 2013
"We know the initial phase is going to be close to $250,000 just for the VOA," North Louisiana Volunteers of America President/CEO Chuck Meehan said.
The VOA is one of the largest recipients of Federal homeless assistance grants, and at least one local program is on the chopping block.
Highland Haven is almost entirely Federally funded. It houses up to six young women at a time when they age out fo the foster care system. It prevents them from living on the street.
"That program is going away. We've been notified that this Thursday it will no longer receive funding," Meehan said.
In Shreveport nearly 100 young women have successfully gone through the program since 2008, but that doesn't matter.
"Successful programs have nothing to do with whether we're going to continue receiving funding. There's across the board cuts. It impacts nearly everything we do," Meehan said.
Meehan's gotten another letter saying the Lighthouse Program and transitional housing for Veterans programs are going to lose some funding.
"We're very very concerned about all of it. Thankfully we have been able to make housing arrangements for those young women currently at Highland Haven," Meehan said.
