Project HOPE

W.I.S.H. and Crisis Assistance Ministry have just been contracted by the City of Charlotte to administer federal stimulus money to rapidly re-house 100 additional families over the next 12 months (called Project HOPE). While W.I.S.H. applicants are generally transitional homeless, Project HOPE applicants will be more episodic, and in some cases, chronically homeless. Otherwise, Project HOPE will mirror the operational philosophy of W.I.S.H. in almost all respects. Like the federal HOME funds W.I.S.H. receives, the new federal stimulus money for Project HOPE (approximately $1,200,000) will only cover rent and utility assistance. W.I.S.H. will raise approximately $550,000 in private funds in a community wide effort for the necessary “relationship-oriented” supportive services for all four program “legs” needed to serve almost 200 families in both W.I.S.H. and HOPE by year end 2010. This is a monumental new challenge which we welcome.

The four “legs” of Project HOPE are:

1. Housing placement and rental subsidy – The goal is to rapidly re-house these transitional or chronically homeless families into vacant apartments with an 18 month average rental subsidy so the families can step back from their trauma to focus on long-term goals. This is funded from the $1,200,000 allocated to the W.I.S.H. Program from the Federal stimulus dollars via our contract with the City of Charlotte. Unlike W.I.S.H., these funds will pay more assistance for rent, utilities and deposits for unemployed families while they undergo job training. W.I.S.H. and Crisis Assistance Ministry will coordinate all housing placement and property inspections for Project HOPE. Some federal money is available to reimburse W.I.S.H. and Crisis Assistance Ministry for this effort.

2. Holistic and professional social work - Six new social workers will assist these 100 families in developing an 18 month plan of action toward financial stability. Our Project HOPE social workers will utilize the evidence based model “Critical Time Intervention” and coordinate community resources to ease access, utilization and completion of services. The principal goal of CTI is to prevent recurrent homelessness and other adverse outcomes during the period following placement into the community from shelters, hospitals, and other institutions. It does this in two main ways: by strengthening the individual’s long-term ties to services, family, and friends; and by providing emotional and practical support during the critical time of transition. In addition, like W.I.S.H., our Project HOPE social workers will undergo extensive training in the “Bridges Out of Poverty” and “Getting Ahead” curriculum. Like W.I.S.H., each social worker has a client ratio of 1 to 16. The cost of each Project HOPE social worker will be funded by Mecklenburg County’s Department of Social Services. All "Bridges Out of Poverty" and "Getting Ahead" training will be funded by W.I.S.H. solicited donations.

3. Personal Accountability Step/Reward – As families meet agreed upon goals outlined in their plan, they are awarded with certain critical incentives. For example, Goodwill Industries will reward the same transportation assistance (matching car purchase funds, car repairs, bus passes) for Project HOPE families in a similar manner as they do for W.I.S.H. families. The program will also award free computers (also from Goodwill) and matching Individual Development Saving accounts among others. These funds are raised via inter-agency transfers or from W.I.S.H. solicited donations.

4. Hope Teams – This is one of the cornerstones of W.I.S.H. and will be fully integrated into Project HOPE. A very important goal of the W.I.S.H. Program is to create a structured path for faith-based volunteers to enter into the lives of our homeless families under the supervision and training of their social workers and volunteer manager. We do this through the creation of Hope Teams - groups of four to six people from local faith organizations and corporations that provide assistance to a family in the form of friendship and advocacy. This “mutual dependent” innovative volunteer model has created much excitement within our community. To prepare Hope Teams for this new path, the Bridges Out of Poverty curriculum is heavily emphasized. Our homeless families are much more likely to gain and maintain financial stability and stem the tide of generational poverty if a long-term relationship is established. In addition, we strongly feel our relationship oriented model creates an equal gift to our middle and upper middle class volunteers. Our Hope Team concept is one of the most bold and challenging new volunteer paths for faith organizations in several decades. Hope Team members step out of their comfort zone and truly enter into the lives of our homeless families. W.I.S.H. is actively seeking private donations to fund the two newly hired Project HOPE volunteer managers. Each volunteer coordinator has a client ratio of 1 to 50. 

Have questions regarding Project HOPE?  Contact Project Director Gina Esquivel at 704-371-3001 x 197

Would like to serve on a Hope Team for a Project HOPE family? Contact Volunteer Manager Wanda Anderson at 704-371-3001 x 176

Four Legs - Core Services