ALLONE COMMUNITY SERVICES

COMMUNITY OF HOPE SERVES HOUSELESS, SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES. WE PROVIDE SHELTER, CLASSES, MENTORING, AND COMMUNITY LIFE TO EIGHT FAMILIES AT A TIME. EACH FAMILY CAN STAY FOR FOUR TO SIX MONTHS. COMMUNITY OF HOPE HAS A SPECIAL FOCUS ON HELPING BOTH PARENTS AND CHILDREN HEAL FROM PAST TRAUMA AND SUPPORTING PARENTS IN BUILDING SKILLS AND FINDING STABLE JOBS AND HOUSING.OF THE FAMILIES WHO COMPLETED THE PROGRAM AT COMMUNITY OF HOPE, 77% FOUND A STABLE HOME WHEN THEY LEFT. IN ADDITION, ACCORDING TO OUR ENTRANCE AND EXIT SURVEYS, PARENTS RESILIENCY SCORES INCREASED AN AVERAGE OF 7.4% ON THE CD-RISC SCALE. DURING THIS PERIOD WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE 21 FAMILIES FOR A TOTAL OF 58 PEOPLE.ACCORDING TO THE PORTLAND 2020 POINT IN TIME COUNT, PEOPLE OF COLOR MAKE UP 28% OF THE POPULATION OF PORTLAND. HOWEVER, THEY MAKE UP 38% OF THE HOUSELESS POPULATION. OF THOSE WE HAVE SERVED AT COMMUNITY OF HOPE, 57.1% OF THE FAMILIES SERVED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR HAVE BEEN PEOPLE OF COLOR. IN ADDITION TO RACE, THE FOLLOWING ATTRIBUTES AND LIFE EXPERIENCES CAN IMPACT THEIR RELATIONSHIPS: AGE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, PHYSICAL CHARISTERISTICS, ECONOMIC STATUS, EDUCATION, A HISTORY OF ABUSE, VARIED ABILITIES AND OTHER LIVED EXPERIENCES. THESE SAME ATTRIBUTES AND LIFE EXPERIENCES CAN AFFECT THEIR ABILITIES TO ACCESS THE SERVICES AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR HOUSING SITUATION.WE WELCOME TRAUMATIZED FAMILIES INTO A SAFE, HOMEY SETTING WHERE THEY CAN RECOVER FROM THE STRESSES OF HOUSELESSNESS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DRUG USE, AND POVERTY. FAMILIES HAVE A PRIVATE ROOM WHERE THEY CAN KEEP THEIR POSSESSIONS AND SLEEP IN A REAL BED. PARENTS CONNECT WITH SUPPORTIVE MENTORS WHO CELEBRATE VICTORIES WITH THEM, BRAINSTORM HOW TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES, AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO SET AND MEET GOALS. JUST HAVING SOMEONE IN THEIR CORNER MEANS A LOT TO PARENTS. COMMUNITY OF HOPES CLASSES HELP RESIDENTS OVERCOME HOUSING BARRIERS AND LEARN SKILLS IN RESILIENCY, NURTURING PARENTING, AND BUDGETING FOR FINANCIAL SUCCESS. RESIDENTS COMPLETED 565 CLASS HOURS DURING THE YEAR. BY LIVING AMONG PEERS, THE PARENTS OFFER MUTUAL SUPPORT. WE CONSIDER THIS TO BE A VITAL COMPONENT OF OUR SUCCESS.AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PROGRAM IS OUR FOCUS ON CHILDREN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACES). ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS STUDIES, ACES ARE THE WORST HEALTH RISK IN OUR NATION, CAUSING STATICALLY INCREASED RISK FOR NEGATIVE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS. THESE FACTS INFORM OUR CONCERN FOR THE CHILDREN WHO ALL ARRIVE AT COMMUNITY OF HOPE HAVING EXPERIENCED HOUSELESSNESS. MANY HAVE ALSO EITHER WITNESSED OR EXPERIENCED ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DRUG USE OR INCARCERATION OF PARENTS, BULLYING, LOSS OF IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS, OR NATURAL DISASTERS. WE PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT AND TRAINING THAT SUPPORT PARENTS IN HEALING FROM THEIR OWN TRAUMA. THIS ENABLES PARENTS TO SEE AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR CHILDREN. IN ADDITION, WE OFFER A TRAUMA-SPECIFIC, ART-BASED PROGRAM FOR THE CHILDREN.