| Description |
WHO WE BENEFIT:<br/>We serve very low income women who have become homeless due to incarceration, addiction or other social problems. In the past few years we have seen an increase on the demands for our services and will probably house some 100 people -- women and children -- this year.<br/><br/>HOW WE ACHIEVE RESULTS:<br/> Women who arrive are provided with basic necessities -- food, shelter, transportation -- while they complete Christian Women's Job Corps training and begin the search for full-time employment. They also can begin to further their educations while working, as long as they are working toward a goal that will sustain themselves and their families in the future. While here, women are required to adhere to the structured residential life we provide for them, including participating in all household chores and caring for their own children. <br/> While here, women also must attend the church of their choice and attend one weekly Bible study. Depending on their circumstances, they also may be required to attend a recovery group in their church or in the community.<br/> We also help them with financial management. While here, women agree to allow us to manage their income. Fifty percent of their income is put in a residents account. They give 15 percent to the house as rent, 10 percent as tithes to the church they choose and have 25 percent available for personal use. This savings has helped many women buy a car in a short time and take another step toward independence. Also, with their savings, they have seed money to help them succeed on their own when they are ready to move out. This is a way to teach them to live within their means, plan for expenses and be financially responsible. <br/> We have a staff that helps the women in the process of making permanent life changes -- spiritual, emotional, social, family and educational -- as they become increasingly more independent and ready to live a productive life.<br/> Our key staff members are an Executive Director who oversees all programs operated by Perpetual Help Home, a Program Director who helps with the women's case management from intake to discharge, a Residence Manager who lives in the home and monitors the day to day activities of the women and the house, and an Advancement Director who is in charge of fund-raising and community awareness of the programs. <br/> We also employ a licensed clinical social worker who administers a separate Hope Net program for women with disabilities who do not qualify for other housing programs in the area. She also helps do a thorough socia-economic and psychosocial intake on the women who come to live at Perpetual Help Home. <br/> One of our best success stories is our Center for Peace Director, who is a former resident and now is on the professional staff. The Center for Peace is a micro-enterprise of Perpetual Help Home developed by the women that serves as a business, a training ground to give women much-needed office and business skills, and an outreach arm providing multiple volunteer opportunities to serve people affected by crime in any way.<br/><br/>HOW MONEY WILL BE USED <br/>Our permanent supportive housing program is a Christian-based program that depends on donations, foundations and United Way funds to cover operating expenses, and we are seeking grant funds to help support our general operating budget, which includes utilities, food, transportation and salaries.<br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/> |
| Benefits |
We remove the chaos of homelessness, addiction and incarceration for women who are struggling and, with supportive services, help them obtain employment, education, and other resources that will lead to permanent stability in the future. We also require our women to volunteer through our Center for Peace outreach programs. Those who complete our program are contributing to their community, not taking from it, and are examples of "breaking the cycle of poverty" in their families. |
