Economic Growth United States Project #6593

End Homelessness in DC - One Family at a Time

by Hope and a Home, Inc.

Project Report | Aug 17, 2011
A Bright Future For Alicia

By Dalia Johnson | Development Assistant

Hope and a Home’s model of comprehensive support has enabled hundreds of families and individuals to achieve permanent housing, educational success, and family stability in Washington, DC.

Our Work and Thrive program is one component of Hope and a Home’s empowerment model. Work and Thrive is a year-round effort designed to help high-risk/high-potential high school students develop and reach their full potential. The program is administered in two parts; with an intensive tutoring, mentoring and skills training component during the school year, and a job skills training and placement component, which takes place during the summer months.

One of our Work and Thrive success stories is Alicia. Four years ago, she joined Work and Thrive as a fifteen year old expectant mother. She was determined to learn skills that would help her be a successful adult and parent. She struggled often with limited family support and housing instability, but she remained determined to not let those obstacles define her.

Throughout our program, Alicia shined. Work and Thrive coordinator Crystal Stewart comments, “I've always been so impressed with Alicia's cheerful attitude and desire to help her peers. She has dealt with things children should never have to experience and has come through with such grace and joy. Her sincere desire to "be better" and help others do so is really a gift.”

Alicia has recently graduated high school with an honor roll award, and is very excited about her current employment with City Year, a prominent AmeriCorps program. City Year will give her the opportunity to be a leader and role model in her community. A role we believe she is very well suited for!

We can help more young people like Alicia with your support to Hope and a Home.

Links:

Hope and a Home's website

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May 19, 2011
Lonetta's Story--What Goes Around Comes Around

By Hope and a Home, Inc. | Development Staff

Lonetta's Picture

What better measure of a successful program than when a person transforms her own life and gives back to help a child? Lonetta, who is completing her third year in Hope and a Home’s transitional housing program in Columbia Heights, is just such an amazing woman.

Lonetta is a cheerleading and dance teacher. When she found out that there was no afterschool cheer program at her child’s school, E.L. Haynes Public Charter School, she decided to take action. With help from Hope and a Home program staff, Lonetta created a proposal, auditioned, and won approval for her program.

During December’s intersession program, Lonetta was asked to work with one of the school’s toughest students, “Michael,” in her hip-hop dance class. Michael had serious behavior issues, was the school bully, and had a history of repeated suspensions. Lonetta embraced “Michael,” finding out what he was good at, engaging him in her program, and encouraging his pride in positive participation.

And, Lonetta created a miracle for Michael. He was one of only two boys in the class, and both boys had been suspended for fighting with each other. Lonetta found a way through hip-hop to help the boys connect and cooperate, and from there the boys bonded and began working together as a team. She challenged Michael in positive ways to be his best, just as Hope and a Home staff had challenged her. MIchael came out of his shell. Word spread around the school that Michael was thriving under Loretta’s guidance. During the final performance, the entire school turned out to watch Michael perform. Michael’s parents were in tears, seeing the changes in their son. This is a huge step forward for Michael as he begins to make positive strides forward.

With help from Fair Chance, Hope and a Home will grow so that it can help more people like Lonetta, who can then reach out to help more students like Michael. What goes around, comes around.

Links:

Hope and a Home Website

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May 17, 2011
Celebrating Fathers

By Lynn French | Executive Director

Richard and his daughter

Hope and a Home supports low income families in Washington DC in creating stable homes for themselves and fosters the hope that helps them make lasting changes in their lives. Hope and a Home is a program of comprehensive support that has enabled hundreds of parents and their children to achieve permanent housing, educational success, and family stability.

Father’s Day approaches -we would like to celebrate the accomplishments of our Hope and a Home fathers. Over the past several years Hope and a Home has been blessed to have several single fathers raising their children. Here’s a glimpse into their lives and how Hope and Home is making a difference in their lives.

Richard

Richard and his then 8 year old daughter,moved into our HH housing in May 2009. His daughter had been staying with her mother until it became apparent that her mother could no longer care for her. Richard was the perfect choice to take custody of her , however he needed to find an affordable two-bedroom unit that would be acceptable for both him and his daughter. He was very focused on finding adequate housing and a supportive environment so that he could nurture his daughter in a positive setting. Through great persistence on his part, Richard was accepted into our Hope and a Home program.

Richard is always looking out for his daughter's best interest. He explores better school possibilities for her. He raises concern with Hope and a Home’s educational staff when he feels she might be struggling academically. He has made certain that she has a Hope and a Home mentor and is committed to supporting that relationship in whatever ways that he can.

Richard is an Office Coordinator with a local company. He is a valued employee and has his sights set on moving into a supervisory position in the future. He is committed to bettering himself and providing the kind of life that he dreams of for his daughter.

Donnie

Donnie is a divorced dad raising his son. Donnie works hard at maintaining a good relationship with the mother of his son, so that, while he and his son’s mother are no longer together, his son still feels the stability of two loving parents.

With the help of the Hope and a Home staff he is exploring more academically challenging and enriching school settings for his son. Donnie is exploring new school opportunities for himself, as well, so that he can better position himself for improved career opportunities. Hope and a Home has been very supportive of him as he finds the right school setting. He is currently working in the environmental services field, but dreams of owning his own business and is working toward that goal. He is currently actively working on repairing his credit through Hope and a Home’s financial credit program and is excited about the progress that he has already made.

His son is a reflection of his dad-hard working and always looking forward.

Lorenzo

The eyes of Lorenzo’s three children, twin girls and son, light up when they are with their dad. Lorenzo has been raising his children on his own for the past 4 years. It has changed his life and the life of his children. Due to circumstances in his life, he hadn’t been as involved as he would have liked in their very early years, but when they came to live with him as he entered Hope and a Home, they were off and running and have been flourishing ever since. With the support of our Hope and a Home staff, he changed his children’s schools when he felt that they would not excel in the school that they were attending. When Hope and a Home found a tutor for his children, he was on board and made sure that his children got the tutoring they needed to strengthen their academics. Their tutor has maintained the relationship over the past several years. He has involved his children in special activities-taking them on outings organized by Hope and a Home-and other extracurricular activities.

As a recent graduate, he has continued this tradition into his new home. This Easter he organized a neighborhood Easter egg hunt for his children and the children in his new neighborhood! His tradition of involvement continues.

Larry

We were very saddened by the recent death of Larry. He was a graduate of Hope and a Home and had kept in close contact with the Hope and a Home staff since his move out of Hope and a Home in 2008.

Larry raised 5 children on his own and had participated in many programs before coming to Hope and a Home. He liked to tell people that Hope and a Home was the first program he was a part of that followed up and did what they said they would do.

We partnered with Larry around many aspects of his life. Several of his children needed special school placements. We worked with him to get them into good schools that met their needs.

Larry had difficulty finding employment when he first arrived in Hope and a Home. We gave him references and recommendations. He was able to obtain a job managing a loading dock at a federal government agency and was a dependable, valued employee there until his death.

There was a very thoughtful side to Larry. He would always give individual calls to staff on holidays- never missed one- just a short greeting wishing a Happy Mother’s Day or a Happy Thanksgiving. Larry paved the way for other single dads to enter Hope and a Home. He left a legacy that we will always cherish at Hope and a Home.

We are so grateful for the support that you give to Hope and a Home. Your contributions inspire our fathers, and all of our families, to nurture, get involved, and be the best they can be.

Thank you for your support.

Donnie and his son

Links:

http://www.hopeandahome.org

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