The Umoja Project

The Umoja Project

Launched in December 2019 and has served over 750 unhoused individuals in the Downtown Louisville area. From December 2, 2019 to April 2, 2020 CTCT served the unhoused population of 40202 an average of 150 meals per month distributing weather-resistant blankets, clothes, period products, condoms, and sanitary items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, deodorant, bar soap and laundry detergent.

Upon receiving the support from the second round of the One Louisville Fund CTCT has expanded our homeless outreach project by 400%. CTCT is now serving the unhoused and low-income population of several zip codes in Louisville, KY: 40208, 40216, 40218, 40228, and 40272. We have added masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, laundromat vouchers and TARC passes to our distribution list as well. Aside from outreach expansion CTCT has secured a one-year lease on a physical location at 2803 S. Floyd Street Suite 2A Louisville, KY 40209; paying the lease and one full year of LG&E upfront! This space will be utilized for our office, storage and as a food pantry

The Louisville One Fund has also helped CTCT support small businesses in this time of need. CTCT has purchased homemade masks from an array of vendors and we have contracted several small businesses in the launching of the physical space; a research analyst, an accountant, an interior designer, a power-washing company, and a painting company. We’ve also been able to donate to other organizations such as Uniting Partners for Women and Children and the Syringe Exchange.

Although there are many organizations serving the city of Louisville we are still seeing an increase in unemployment, a decrease in accessibility to resources and a transition from poverty to unhoused amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of collaboration among community leaders and organizations when facing critical systemic issues such as homeless and poverty only further complicate finding tangible solutions to these severe problems. Because our services and homeless outreach project plans have expanded and been modified to practice safe social distancing we have proposed to purchase a van and insurance for said van to ensure we can increase and sustain project impact.

In order to broaden communal impact CTCT is requesting donations for The Umoja Project to expand to the following zip codes: 40203, 40209, 40210, 40211, 40212, 40213, with the help from the following organizations: The HOPE Initiative, Sowing Seeds with Faith, Blk Girl Narrative, Diversity at the Table and Parkland Boys and Girls Club. CTCT will create 200 Family Sanitary Packages (including the items previously listed along with Kroger Gift Cards) per week to distribute to the unhoused, low-income and elderly community of Louisville, KY. Coordinating this project with five other community organizations will (1) increase communal impact, (2) increase community collaboration especially in times of crisis, and (3) decrease CTCT workload in light of lack of volunteers, and (4) encourage safe social distancing practices while doing frontline community work. 

This project may determine if an unhoused individual, low-income family or elderly individual eats that day. We are hopeful you all can support CTCT in some capacity. Please take some time and review our website: change-today.org

Thank you,
Taylor Ryan 

1. We meet weekly to put 200 family care kits together
2. Three of our seven working board members cook about 65 meals a piece, totaling to 200 meals per week
3. On Sunday evening we donate 30 or meals and family care kits to Sowing Seeds with Faith and distribute the remaing 35 to the unhoused population
4. On Tuesday mornings we donate about 65 meals/snack bags to the Boys and Girls Club Central Office
5. On Thursday evening we distrbute around 65 meals and care kits to the unhoused population of Louisville, KY.

If not us, then who?