The Administration for Children and Families, Casey Family Programs, and the Robert Wood Johnson, Annie E. Casey, and Edna McConnell Clark foundations have announced $25 million in grants as part of a $35 million initiative to address homelessness and keep families together.

Through the initiative, three nonprofits and two government agencies will receive funding to demonstrate the effectiveness and potential cost savings of projects that incorporate stable housing for low-income families and services focused on child well-being, positive family functioning, and reducing foster care placements. Launched in June, the initiative is modeled after the Keeping Families Together program in New York City, which paired supportive housing with on-site case management and comprehensive services for families experiencing chronic homelessness, substance abuse and mental health problems, and child welfare involvement.

Local partners in the initiative include Kids in Distress, Inc. in Wilton Manors, Florida; Four Oaks Family and Children's Services in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; the Community Alliance for the Homeless in Memphis, Tennessee; the San Francisco Human Services Agency; and the Connecticut Department of Children and Families.

ACF will provide $1 million annually over five years to each of its partners to implement a project in their communities. The remaining $10 million from the four foundations will be used to provide technical assistance and to formally evaluate the projects for their impact on housing stability, health, and social and emotional outcomes among children and their caregivers and the need for child welfare involvement.

"We know from experience that reaching out to families with an integrated and comprehensive array of services, including stable housing, is one of the most effective approaches to keep children safe from abuse and neglect," said William C. Bell, president and CEO of Casey Family Programs. "We have every reason to believe that the programs this initiative supports will improve outcomes for children and families in those communities, reduce the need for foster care, and produce cost savings. These programs will also help further our knowledge and understanding of how to build communities of hope for all vulnerable children in America."