Nonprofit group gets HUD designation

FORT SMITH — The Fort Smith-based Riverview Hope Campus has been designated as the first EnVision Center in Arkansas by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

EnVision Centers use public-private partnerships to connect HUD-assisted households and individuals with services offering paths to self-sufficiency, according to a HUD news release. They’re described as “centralized hubs that serve as an incubator to support four key pillars of self-sufficiency.”

“EnVision Centers are a way to connect local resources with the people who need them the most,” said Michael Burley, HUD Region VI Regional administrator. “From job training classes to basic education to medical needs, vital services will be provided that will have a direct and positive impact on the lives of the people being helped. I look forward to seeing the brighter futures the EC will bring to the Fort Smith community.”

The Hope Campus provides a safe and secure shelter for the area’s homeless population, according to the release. Using a campus-model approach, its purpose is to improve the lives of impoverished Sebastian, Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Scott and Polk county residents in the River Valley and strengthen the community by offering comprehensive services helping individuals be self-sufficient.

“Balance is something you create, not find,” said Chris Joannides, Hope Campus executive director. “Hope Campus is honored to carry the EnVision Center insignia to better the lives of the Fort Smith community.”

The campus partnered with several other agencies to provide assistance for its EnVision Center. Among them are the Fort Smith Housing Authority, Mercy Clinic, Veterans’ Outreach, St. Anne’s Society, Salvation Army, the Fort Smith Adult Education Center and Legal Aid of Arkansas.