Hope and a Home

Strong Families. Vibrant Neighborhoods.

Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation

Hope and a Home is incredibly grateful for the generous support provided by the Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation, which has been pivotal to achieving our mission to empower low-income families with children in DC to create stable homes of their own and to make lasting changes in their lives. As a valued partner, the Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation has provided significant resources to help Hope and a Home serve approximately 200 individuals annually (90-100 families), including: 19 families currently living in our transitional housing units, program graduates who continue to receive case management support through our Phase 2 Program after transitioning to independent housing, and 130-140 children who benefit from our Higher Education for All (HEFA) program each year. By supporting our transitional housing, case management, and educational services, the Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation is helping homeless families with children in DC achieve financial stability, build table homes and families, and break the cycle of poverty for generations to come.

Our Programs

Transitional Housing Program: Hope and a Home’s Transitional Housing Program begins when families move into our housing units and continues after they transition into permanent housing. We serve approximately 200 individuals annually (90-100 families) through this program, including 19 families who live in our affordable housing units in FY2016 and many more program graduates who continue to receive support through our Phase 2 Program after they transition to permanent housing. Hope and a Home provides below-market rental units for up to three years—longer than most DC area housing programs— to homeless and low-income families with children who have an income at or below 30% of the Area Median Income. This longer stay makes it possible for our staff to support parents as they secure employment; increase their earning potential through education and job training opportunities; and receive the financial literacy skills needed to manage their households. Each parent works with our staff to secure a job and permanent housing. Parents meet with our staff weekly and develop quarterly goals, engage in monthly life skills workshops, and a housing counselor refers them to community resources. We also hold monthly Family Workshops and Strong Families. Vibrant Neighborhoods. Hope and a Home 2
dinners for all families. Parents emerge with a greater understanding of housing and finances. We are pleased to share that all of our parents are employed or enrolled in vocational/educational
programming.

Higher Education for All (HEFA) Program: Hope and a Home supports 130-140 children and youth each year through the Higher Education for All (HEFA) program, which includes current residents of our properties, graduates of our transitional housing, and DC children referred to us by community partners, such as Sinai House. Children are kept on the academic track from primary school to postsecondary enrollment. HEFA exposes youth to education and life skills enrichment opportunities to ensure they become financially stable, self-sufficient adults. HEFA provides educational advocacy for each child, assists with school placements, and administers the Mike Young Education Fund, which provides grants for adults and children to enroll in post-secondary educational, vocational, and certification programs that will position them for greater economic success and independence. HEFA also offers summer enrichment activities, a college readiness program, and coordinates internships and volunteer opportunities for high school youth. Further, HEFA’s Good Grades Program advises families on how to succeed in school and provides recognition for grade point averages at 2.0 and above. Hope and a Home also launched the new Family Reading Initiative (FRI), an early literacy program that engages children and their parents.

Please view this video for more information about Hope and a Home’s literacy program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gos8cbMeeqc&feature=em-share_video_user

Results
Hope and a Home is proud to share our current results to date for FY2016:

1. 100% of the adult participants served in our transitional housing units have retained employment and/or are enrolled in higher education, vocational, and certificate programs.

2. 100% of adults in residence have participated in financial literacy and housing counseling sessions. In addition, 100% of families are working with a housing counselor.

3. Parents in residence successfully manage a budget by paying rent, savings, and utilities by the 5th of each month. As has been the case in recent years, at least 90% of our families in residence are making great strides by clearing up their credit and saving money to achieve self-sufficiency and independence.

4. All families in residence who were scheduled to graduate from the three-year Transitional Housing Program to date in FY2016 have secured permanent, stable housing.

5. Hope and a Home’s program staff are working with families to ensure all children in residence are registered in an after-school enrichment program, including college prep programs.

6. 100% of our K-12 students in residence are enrolled in good-performing schools, including four school-age children who have scholarships to attend private schools. In addition, 85% of the youth participating in our Good Grades Program had a 2.0 GPA or higher during the 2015-2016 school year, with 44% of participants earning at least a 3.0 GPA or higher.

7. 100% of our youth in residence who graduated from high school in Spring 2016 will be attending college in Fall 2016.

Hope and a Home is very thankful for the support provided by the Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation. As a result, Hope and a Home has the resources to offer high-quality programs that result in long-term success and self-sufficiency for DC’s homeless families with children.