This project will keep a family out of a crisis situation by providing them with a safe home to live in. Funds will cover a security deposit as well as the initial rent due on a new apartment for HOPE participant, Dorian, and her 8 children. It will provide a clean and safe home for her family that is mold and pest-free. And, it will supply several housing items that were lost such as beds, couches, and chairs, when Dorian and her family were forced to move due to unsafe living conditions.
HOPE participant, Dorian and her 8 children are in crisis. Their apartment was water-damaged several months ago but the resulting problems caused by the water intrusion were never addressed by her landlord. As a result, their apartment became a breeding ground for mold, roach colonies, and exacerbated the COVID symptoms experienced by her and her children when all 8 of her kids became ill with the virus. This project will help fund Dorian's move into a clean and safe home for her and her family.
HOPE's mission is to assist single parents enrolled in college persist to graduation. However, when our participants face a crisis like unexpected homelessness, we know that they cannot possibly continue their studies without help overcoming the crisis. As such, proving a safe living environment for Dorian and her children will allow her to continue to go to work while attending college classes, moving her one step closer to graduation and self-sufficiency.
Supporting this project means that single parents, like Dorian, can attend college classes and earn a degree, pulling themselves and their children out of poverty. According to our 2019 graduate survey, 84% of our graduates increased their savings by 70% once they earned their degrees. 42% of our graduates have increased their post-degree income by 121% and improved their credit scores by an average of 75 points. 21% of our graduates own a home, while 5% are in the process of purchasing one.
