One of the projects to benefit is Move On, which is run by Citizen Housing from The Gateway homeless hostel in Coventry.
During a mayoral visit, Steve, 59, from Coventry, told Parker he arrived at the hostel after being evicted from a shared house.
With support from the service provider, he is now living independently in his own flat.
He is also chairman of Gateway Link, a group of current and former residents who run social activities and use their skills to support one another, from decorating to DIY.
“Before I came to The Gateway, I was in shared accommodation, surrounded by people drinking and taking drugs, and I’d become a product of my environment,” he said.
“But now, I’ve got a far superior support network than I’ve ever, ever had in my life.”
He said helping others had given him “a sense of purpose”.
“When I was asked to be the chairman, I thought ‘someone believes in me’. Without that shred of belief I would be on the streets, drinking and taking drugs.”