Gender Equality United States Project #25626

Open Doors to Change for 100 Homeless Women

by Women's Housing Coalition, Inc.

Open Doors to Change for 100 Homeless Women

Project Report | May 30, 2017
Finding Stability in Change

By Sarah Long | Development Manager

Ronzie at our annual event.

Last week as I was giving a new volunteer tour of the Bennett House - just one of the homes we provide for formerly homeless women – I heard a loud noise coming from upstairs. Curious as to what was making such a ruckus, I followed the noise to the third floor where I found Ronzie, one of our residents. She was bringing stored belongings down from the attic. You see - Ronzie was getting ready to "graduate" from our program and move out on her own.

Ronzie came to Women's Housing Coalition looking for a place to escape domestic abuse. What she didn't realize when she came here is that she would also find a stable life in a changing world. She would learn to handle change and uncertainty in a healthy way. Through courses on mindfulness, she would learn to breathe through her anger and find centeredness. Through working with a case manager, Ronzie set goals and worked hard to achieve them. She learned the joy of accomplishment each time she was able to complete one of her individual goals, and now she is ready to move beyond our walls.

All of these steps to stability were possible because of donors like you. You made it possible for Ronzie and other women like her to find stability in their lives.

Recently Ronzie appeared in a video about our program (link below), and her words have stuck with me, - “There are no throw away people.”

Thank you for helping us open the doors to change for women like Ronzie. Thank you for ensuring “there are no throw away people.”

Bennett House

Links:

The View from My Room - Housing and Services that Lead to Succes

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Feb 27, 2017
A New Home and a Renewed Hope for 5 Women

By Sarah Long | Project Leader / Development Manager

Donna & Nicole Pose with Food Bank Finds

Dear donors,

Because of you, since October five women experiencing homelessness were able to leave the streets behind and move into the Women's Housing Coalition. Because of you, they had a warm, dry and safe place to stay for the first time in years. These women and their children will not only have a home and access to supportive resources, but they will have hope. Your donation made that possible.

In December of 2015, Donna stepped through the doors of the Women's Housing Coalition for the first time. Years back she had lost her home through divorce and had been living from one bed or shelter to the next - until she found the Women's Housing Coalition. Here she began to open the doors to a better life. From the moment Donna received her welcome basket, she started utilizing our individualized services to work towards a more stable life. Donna navigated getting back on her feet using the resources we were able to provide. Using the provided bus pass, she made her food stamps last longer, found places to get gently used clothing, and sought support to better her health and finances. With guidance learning how to use in-house computers, she studied for and received her SerfSave Food Certification, which will pave the way for a job in food service.

Because of you, the five women we have recently housed will have similar opportunities to get back on their feet and work towards a more stable life. Because of your support, all the women were provided welcome baskets with the basics needed for their new apartment. Your support is helping with case management services where the women identify individualized goals to help them achieve their own level of success. Through case management, women are referred to internal and external resources to help them reach those goals. Your support of our programming is helping these women open the doors to change.

In 2016 Women's Housing Coalition housed and served 107 families and 43 children. Of the 107 women served, 98% completed their identified individual goals and 98% participated regularly at appropriate levels in activities such as volunteering, education, employment, parenting classes, nutrition classes and workshops. 17 people moved on to independent living in market-rate apartments, subsidized housing or with family and friends.

With your support, we will continue opening the doors to change for Baltimore's formerly homeless women and children, and the five women just entering our program will learn how to achieve financial and emotional stability for the rest of their lives.

Donna Enjoying a Day Out with Other Residents

Links:

Success Stories

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