Fr. Aidan R. Rooney, C.M., Vice-president for Mission Integration at Niagara University, presented “Using Data Well: Crafting a Solution to the Worldwide Homelessness Problem” to the Famvin Homeless Alliance conference in Rome November 28.

Fr. Rooney CM Shares at the Famvin Homeless Alliance in Rome.

His presentation unveiled the global component of Niagara’s commitment to the efforts of the international Vincentian Family. It complements Niagara’s local commitment to the eradication of street homelessness in collaboration with the Niagara County Coalition of Homeless Services and the Homeless Alliance of Western New York, which is spearheaded by Dr. Kevin Blair, and the housing stabilization efforts of the Levesque Institute facilitated Niagara Falls South End Housing Initiative.

Fr. Rooney introduced the Vincentian Family Digital Mapping project that he is working on with Dr. Yonghong Tong, assistant professor in the Computer Information Sciences Department. Given to an assembly representing 30 countries where the Vincentian Family serves, his presentation outlined the need for the collection of current data, and how the group will utilize the data for diagnosis, collaboration, response and shared learning. The data collection phase, assisted by College of Hospitality and Tourism student Camila Alvarado, begins in the Spring 2019 semester.

This work parallels the ongoing service commitments of groups of Niagara University students at the St. Vincent de Paul Society, as well as the university’s Vincentian Scholars who work at a number of community homeless service providers like Heart, Love and Soul; the St. George’s Soup Kitchen; and Community Missions. Find out more about the Vincentian Family’s FamVin Homeless Alliance at http://vfhomelessalliance.org.

Source: Niagara University