Mayor Ron Littlefield on Friday announced the organization of a blue ribbon panel of volunteers who he said "have agreed to undertake the task of updating the 2004 Blueprint to End Chronic Homelessness in the Chattanooga Region in Ten Years."
Mayor Littlefield said, “As evidenced by the recommendations and deadlines set forth by the Community Advisory Committee on Homeless Issues and adopted by the Chattanooga City Council, we have begun assembling a group of volunteers who will be tasked with updating the 2004 Blueprint and the creation of a new implementation plan for that updated document.”
He also said, "In response to several City Council members' concern that we must not continue to delay recommended assistance to the homeless, I have reassured the council that projects such as the Chattanooga Community Kitchen’s day center and respite care facility and other recommendations clearly mandated by the current language in the Blueprint, will be carried out."
He said a broad representation from the entire community has been included on the panel.
Those agreeing to serve thus far are:
Name
Organization
Barry Kidwell
Forest Avenue United Methodist Church
Bernadine Turner
City of Chattanooga Human Services
Bill Wilkerson
Architect / Chattanooga Community Kitchen
Bob Dull
Chattanooga Housing Authority
Britt Tabor
Erlanger
Charlie Hughes
Chattanooga Community Kitchen
Dr. Charlotte Boatwright
Domestic Violence Coalition
Clair Sawyer
Chattanooga Area Food Bank
Dianne White
South East Tennessee Development
Donna Maddox
Johnson Mental Health Center
Dr. Roger Thompson
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Earl Medley
Fortwood Mental Health Center
Eva Dillard
United Way of Greater Chattanooga
Gary Thornton
South East Tennessee Career Center
Gina Turley
AIM Center
James Sherrill
American Institute of Architects, Chattanooga Chapter
John Atherton
Habitat for Humanity
John Dorris
Chattanooga Community Resource Center
John Hayes
United Way of Greater Chattanooga
Julianne Crow
READ of Chattanooga / Homeless Coalition
Karen Guinn
Hamilton County Homeless Healthcare
Karen McReynolds
Homeless Coalition, Executive Director
Kay Andrews
Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce
Lee Ann Burke
Brown Academy Elementary School Principal
Maj. Jim Lawrence
Salvation Army
Manny Rico
City of Chattanooga City Council
Mary Ellen Galloway
Interfaith Homeless Network
Mike Feely
St. Andrews Center
Moses Freeman
M.L. King Neighborhood
Pete Cooper
Community Foundation
Phyllis Casavant
South East Tennessee Development
Ron Fender
Chattanooga Community Kitchen
Sandra Hollett
Partnership for Families, Children and Adults
Wayne Owens
S.E. Tennessee Human Resource Agency
Howard Roddy
Memorial Hospital
Jamie Bergman
United Way of Greater Chattanooga
Susan Kirk
Tennessee Department of Human Services
Among others, representatives from the Chattanooga Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department and The Veterans Administration will also be included.
Mayor Littlefield said, “Additional community members have been recruited and we are awaiting their response. We will be accepting suggestions from City Council members as well.”
He said the large group will be divided into smaller facilitated sessions responsible for addressing a specific issue within the existing Blueprint.
He said, "Each session will seek additional input from specialists and professionals in the fields being examined. Using research-based and validated strategies will be critical as the panel approaches homelessness prevention and reduction.
"The panel will also seek input from the homeless community either by including people who are/were homeless or providing opportunities for participation and input.
“This is an opportunity to involve the larger Chattanooga community in a very important issue. Homelessness is not just going to disappear. This is a subject we, as a community, must address and do so with compassion and haste.”
The first meeting will be July 13 at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall.