The federal government has announced a $631,674 Christmas gift to Alle Kiski Hope Center House of Hope, for its five-unit transitional housing program for female victims of domestic violence.

It was the largest grant in Western Pennsylvania from a Santa's sack of $1.4 billion for services to the homeless that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced late Wednesday. Homeless assistance programs in Pennsylvania received $67 million of that, including more than $16 million for the 11-county region of southwestern Pennsylvania. Allegheny County programs received nearly $10 million.

In all, 41 grants were announced for services to the homeless in Allegheny County. Some directly subsidize transitional or permanent housing, while others provide services to help homeless people kick addictions, acquire basic life skills, vocational training and to care for their children while they study or work. The grants are awarded competitively and are intended to ensure that existing programs don't lose critical funding in the new budget year. Grants for new projects will be announced in early 2010.

"As we move into the coldest time of the year, it's critical that no program risk running out of money to keep their doors open," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.

Benedictine Place, 15 apartments where homeless women with children can live for up to two years while they put their lives in order, received a one-year grant for $146,519. The apartments are at the Ross motherhouse of the Benedictine Sisters of Pittsburgh. Benedictine Place has served several hundred women and children since it opened 14 years ago, said Sister Michelle Farabaugh, a board member.

"This will help us to continue the program for homeless women with children. These programs are in even greater need today with the economic downturn. There are more parents experiencing homelessness," she said.

According to HUD's statistics, about 664,000 people are homeless on any given night. Of those, more than 124,000 are chronically homeless, more than 36 percent are chronic substance abusers, more than 26 percent are severely mentally ill and about 15 percent are veterans.

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