By Shernita Bethea
Housing & Humans Services Manager
Norfolk State University will receive $800 in federal grant money to create a center aimed in helping women overcome barriers to education, employment and homeownership. The center will be funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The center will be housed in the James A. Bowser Industrial Education building and is scheduled to be open by early August. While the program will be physically housed on-campus, the program’s service area will assist throughout the City. Future projects may include; providing computer training at a women's shelter as well as entrepreneur camps for middle and high school girls.
According to the HUD application, Norfolk State University sits in the heart of eight low-income housing areas. Most of those households are headed by women and the student body is predominantly female. The center will have longer hours to accommodate later schedules and will hold wellness classes at some public housing communities. While the grant is geared toward assisting women, the initiative will serve males as well.
The Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority and YWCA are some of the project partners.
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