December 2021
Mary Frances Schafer—the Director of Community Coordination for the Coalition for the Homeless—has announced she is stepping down from her position. She has given us 15 years of service, during which she developed a coordinated entry system for people seeking shelter, created a community-wide prevention and diversion program, and implemented a transportation program for people experiencing homelessness. During her leadership, Louisville’s CoC increased the amount of HUD funding from $5.8 million (in 2006) to $15 million (in 2021), including an increase to $9 million in permanent supportive housing funds (from $2.8 million).
Thanks to Mary Frances’ work, hundreds of Louisvillians today are safe in their homes rather than sleeping outdoors. We will miss her, but we are grateful for her legacy and that she will continue to do some projects for the Coalition moving forward.
While we reflect on the past with gratitude, we are also excited about the future. Brandi Scott—who has been with the Coalition since 2013—will be stepping into a new role as the Director of Planning and Evaluation. In this role, Brandi will be the Continuum of Care lead, coordinating the CoC partners, planning and overseeing the HUD grant application process, and evaluating our city’s coordinated efforts to end homelessness. Brandi has been instrumental in this work in Louisville for almost a decade, and we look forward to her vision and leadership. Danielle Otte, who joined the Coalition in 2020, is also stepping into a new role, where she will be overseeing the Coalition’s direct services efforts, as well as strategically evaluating and improving our systems and conducting city-wide training sessions.
The next CoC meeting will be held on Monday, January 3, at 3:30pm, and it will be virtual. For information on how to join, email Brandi at bscott@louhomeless.org.
The Coalition looks forward to facing the challenges and embracing the opportunities in 2022 with all of you!