In the Spring of 2009 Edgerton Outreach requested funding through the Department of Commerce Emergency Shelter/Transitional Housing/Homeless Prevention Grant Program and was awarded dollars to provide ongoing rent assistance(up to 18 months) paired with case managment services. ECO is currently working with 7 households through this program which began in July of 2009. Six of the seven families were literally homeless when they began working with ECO. The household that wasn’t homeless was behind over $2000 on their rent because they weren’t able to work due to health issues. At ECO, we are impressed with the forward movement of the families in our program. It is much easier for a family to get back on track when they have a place to call home. Employers are not impressed when your address is a motel or a homeless shelter. ECO is investing time and dollars to help these families become self-sufficient, but the families are committing so much of themselves also. Families receiving ongoing rent assistance meet with their case manager each week to track progress and set short-term and long-term goals. Each household is required to find and keep employment and they are required to pay 30% of income for their housing expenses. Five of our seven families have increased their income dramatically while in our program. The family that was behind on their rent has paid off all of their back rent in 6 months and is completely financially self-sufficient.