The Housing as Health Initiative will host community meetings at 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Thursday, at Manna Soup Kitchen, 1100 Avenida del Sol. The initiative is funded by Enterprise Community Partners and the Colorado Health Foundation. It seeks to build strong relationships with health service providers and local medical care facilities to address homelessness and housing insecurity.

The initiative intends to:

Build Espero Apartments 40 units of housing for homeless individuals with disabilities. Build programs that address the needs of homeless youth, survivors and aging adults Build programs that prevent homelessness for families and individuals who are disabled, injured or living with a chronic illness. Increase housing navigation and education services to increase purchasing power among residents of Southwest Colorado.Build the Soutwest Colorado Continuum of Care to include more health care providers and additional service providers. The initiative will hold regional continuum of care meetings at 2:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month in the Commons Building Conference Room (1st floor). For more information, call Brigid Korce at 259-1086, ext. 21.