ESTABLISHED 1990
About the Coalition
The Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness (CACH) serves as the primary coordinating body for homelessness services throughout Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
Non-Service Agency
CACH does not provide direct services. We empower those who do.
Who We Are
CACH is a collaborative coalition of over 100 member organizations including non-profits, faith-based groups, local government, and community advocates. Our focus is on systems-level impact rather than individual casework.
We act as the central nervous system for homelessness relief in Dauphin County, ensuring that resources are utilized efficiently and that service providers are working in harmony toward the same strategic goals.
Our Mission
The mission of the Capital Area Coalition for the Homeless is to educate and mobilize our community and coordinate services to prevent and reduce homelessness in the Capital Region.
Our Vision
A community where every individual and family in Dauphin County has a safe, sustainable place to call home, supported by a network of care that leaves no one behind.
What We Do
Providing the infrastructure and coordination necessary for community-wide impact.
Provider Collaboration
Facilitating monthly meetings and working groups to align service provider efforts.
Community Coordination
Managing the Point-in-Time count and annual assessments of regional housing needs.
Resource Alignment
Directing federal, state, and local funding to the areas of greatest strategic need.
CoC Support
Serving as the lead administrative entity for the PA-501 Continuum of Care.
Organizational Structure
CACH operates as the "Collaborative Applicant" for the Harrisburg/Dauphin County Continuum of Care (CoC). While CACH provides the human capital and governance, the CoC represents the federally mandated regional planning body for homelessness funding. Together, we form a unified front against housing instability.
Governance & Accountability
Access our public records and strategic documentation.
A Legacy of Collaboration
Founded in 1990, the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness was born from a realization that individual agencies could not solve homelessness in isolation.
For over three decades, we have evolved from a small gathering of concerned citizens into a sophisticated network of over 100 member organizations, consistently securing millions in funding for Dauphin County and reducing barriers to housing for our most vulnerable neighbors.
30+
Years of Service
100+
Partner Agencies
History of the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness
In early 1995, a group of housing providers and other related agencies began to meet regularly as a loose coalition called the PESSH Group (Planning for Effective Seamless Services for the Homeless). DELTA Housing, Inc., a HUD funded transitional housing program, convened the initial meeting and provided leadership and administrative support for the PESSH Group to this date. The PESSH Group has a plenary session every other month and working task forces meet between sessions. The City’s Department of Building and Housing Development (DBHD) works with the PESSH Group as part of the Continuum of Care development activity.
CACH, which was established in 2000, is a voluntary coalition of homeless housing and service providers, lenders, businesses, local and County government, and the Greater Harrisburg Foundation. CACH was formed to develop and deliver a cooperative, coordinated and inclusive system of high quality services and shelter for the homeless.
The result of the process was a Consolidated Application, which includes the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Plan and Funding Applications from five different agencies, submitted to HUD in May, 2001. The 2001 Continuum of Care was approved by Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed and Dauphin County Commissioners, John D. Payne, Lowman S. Henry, and Anthony M. Petrucci.
CACH was incorporated in 2007. The mission of CACH is to educate and mobilize the community and coordinate services to prevent and reduce homelessness in the Capital region. The vision of CACH is that every family and individual in the Capital area has access to safe, affordable housing and the skills and resources necessary to maintain life in that housing.