Holy Ground Shelter for Homeless

Holy Ground PBC's residential program is designed to effect generational change, self-reliance, and sustainable independence, among mothers experiencing homelessness or significant financial challenges. Throughout the year, the program supported 16 residential mothers and 29 children with a comprehensive suite of holistic, wraparound services. These services included housing, temporary financial assistance, mentorship, case management, individual and group trauma-informed counseling and therapy, life skills training, educational and vocational guidance, Career Coaching, cultural enrichment, health and wellness classes, access to childcare, internet and essential resources, scholarship opportunities, and personalized financial management education. The impact of the program has been substantial, with participants making remarkable transitions from experiencing homelessness to achieving homeownership. Mothers have notably increased their income, which has enhanced their access to resources and financial stability. The educational initiatives within the program have also allowed mothers to advance in their careers by gaining necessary qualifications. Furthermore, the children of these participants benefited from on-site tutoring that not only improved their academic performance but also helped them develop emotional intelligence, with many achieving honor roll status after previously being behind standard academic benchmarks.

Outreach - Holy Ground also provides services to those at-risk pregnant or parenting mothers who have a place to live, but who need a helping hand to survive and thrive. They are assisted with baby equipment and resources, and they also benefit from many of the services that our residential families do, with the exception of on-going financial support. In addition, our Outreach program provides emergency assistance to our mothers and children, as well as to young moms and kids in the larger community, on a limited basis. Since life invariably includes the unexpected, Holy Ground is there with temporary financial assistance when our young mothers encounter an unplanned financial snag, so that they do not fall deeper into debt. During the pandemic, we temporarily expanded our Outreach program in order to provide shelter to older moms and their children, many of whom lost their housing because of COVID-driven restrictions that impacted the organizations that were assisting them. Independent Living/Aftercare - A mother who has successfully progressed through our program, and who has developed the skills and the financial stability to step out on her own, is considered to have graduated from Holy Ground! With best wishes, love, and high hopes - and a party! - she moves from her apartment on one of our two campuses to an apartment of her own choosing. In doing so, she becomes part of our Aftercare program. She can still participate in all Holy Ground activities, and her family still receives case management, but she is monitored less frequently than when she was in our residential program. By this point, our young mom has learned how to manage her budget, maintain her own place, and balance her chosen vocation with the raising of her child, so that she can sustain a healthy, stable and productive lifestyle.'