Arrowleaf secures grant funding for transitional housing program

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS(KBSI) – A local organization recently received grant funding that could save lives. 

A major investment is coming to help some of the most vulnerable in the region. Arrowleaf of Southern Illinois has received grant funding that will allow for them to start transitional housing for families and individuals facing crisis situations. 

Arrowleaf of Southern Illinois received funding through the Victims of Crime Act Transitional Housing Program from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to launch a new initiative, called Project Releaf. The project aims to help crime victims in the Southern Seven counties of Illinois. Sherrie Crabb is the CEO of Arrowleaf she shares they received a grant in the amount of $350,00 dollars and had to match it with an additional $50,000 to get the project started.

“A total investment of a little more than $400,000 for the entire project and so part of our application was looking at what transitional housing is in southern Illinois” says Crabb.

Crabb shares that the transitional housing will have three parts– a location where families may share a space, apartments located in Anna and rental assistance. The program will allow for the victim and their family to stay for up to two years in safe stable housing while they work towards long-term independence. The program is estimated to start as early as May 2026 and Crabb says they will be hiring positions to help run the program. Crabb saying this will be a lifeline to those who may have run out of all options.

“I think a resource like this, even when I was a child, I’m someone who came from a home of domestic violence, had the state involved, with my sister and I, for experiencing domestic violence and, you know, knowing that there was a safe place to go, probably would have led to my parent maybe leaving the situation earlier” says Crabb.

There is currently no dedicated transitional housing programs for victims of crime in the Southern Illinois region, leaving many survivors with limited options for safe, stable housing Project ReLeaf is designed to fill the gap.

Those living throughout Arrowleaf’s service area of Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pulaski, Pope, and
Union Counties can qualify.