“As a House of Hope graduate, I believe House of Hope truly brings HOPE to all single mothers and women who age out of foster care. For me, House of Hope was the key to a dream that was lost and kept in the dark. House of Hope opened doors I never thought possible. House of Hope makes a big difference in our community. We should have more space for more women to access services. The House of Hope team listens and works with you until you reach your goals. They will not leave you out. They will do their best to help with anything and provide any service as if you are their own family.”

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When I arrived at the House of Hope 13 years ago I was in crisis. I didn't
know it at the time, but looking back I was in full-on survival mode. Every move I made was to get through today. I walked in needing housing for me and my 5 amazing kiddos and nothing more. Or, so I thought. House of Hope IS a transitional housing program, but it's so much more. We got an apartment, but that wasn't where it ended. My kids got safety, support, understanding; and I got the same. We got what we didn't know we needed, but the staff and volunteers could see it so clearly. When you're in crisis you can't see the future and the person you are becomes so unclear. Well, they helped me not only see our future, but we achieved it. We now have a home that we own, stability, and we have embraced the new people we became through our crisis. Change was inevitable, but The House of Hope helped us become stronger, not victims.

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When I came to House of Hope in 2022, I had been in a relationship since age 15, had a baby at 19, and became a struggling single mother by 21. I had no clue how to survive independently, had no car, and had too much debt with a no-income ratio. The House of Hope opened its abundance of resources for us to start building the necessary stability needed to breathe and grow. Their transitional housing allowed me and my daughter to move out of a toxic situation and create our own safe space for the first time. I felt that I was finally receiving the proper guidance through the steps given to learn my capabilities and potential. I got a job and through their financial training program, I started learning financial literacy and adequate budgeting skills. I qualified for and was awarded various scholarships that helped me pay off my debt and, in 6 months, met my goals. I was able to get childcare at a partnered daycare, purchase an affordable car (using their Driving Hope partnership), and signed a year leasing agreement, also through a partnered landlord. The Wellness program helped me to stop, breathe, and become aware of the generational curses I’d been breaking free from. The House of Hope guided me through creating that structure for myself and my daughter. The part I love most about the House of Hope is that as much as it is to help us mothers break chains, it makes the most significant difference in giving our children the chance to not grow up in them at all, which is invaluable. The beautiful people who make up the program genuinely do, house our hope, and it has been such a gift to be a part of. The opportunity to come together in a safe space and   not only gain, but become part of a village is life changing.

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The House of Hope, which grew out of a consortium of churches who formed “Christian Community Development,” opened in 1995. It housed 7 single moms and their children to provide support, training, and skill-building that enabled the moms to be self-sufficient head-of-households. Today, they house 15 families headed by single moms, reach an additional 75 families with intensive support & services, and are home for 5 young women at a time who age out of foster care. Their mission statement is “Empowering Women, Building Futures, and Enriching Communities.” Because they’ve been so successful in doing that, their waiting list consistently ranges from 30-50 families at any given time. They can reach more women & children only if we, the community that’s enriched by competent, confident, and committed single moms, must provide more space to help more families. Please join me in generously supporting the House of Hope’s Extending Hope.

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House of Hope’s impact on the City of Waterloo is immeasurable. With its mission to end cycles of homelessness and poverty by taking a multi-pronged approach that empowers women, the agency is positively impacting families for generations to come. To know that 100% of program participants have secured employment and safe child care is incredible. From financial literacy to family wellness, services House of Hope offers are essential for the women and children being served. Consider the ripple effect in our community; each woman impacted changes the outcome for her children, inspires those in her midst and gains the self-confidence to keep building on these initial successes. It’s truly a win-win for all involved! We appreciate all the good work House of Hope is doing through its staff, volunteers, board members and generous supporters. The agency’s continued expansion means more women will benefit from the extensive programming and our entire community will be better for it.

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When I found the House of Hope, I was a newly single mother of 4. I didn’t have any experience living on my own with 4 children. House of Hope helped me apply for an apartment, in which I was approved, they helped me find a job that fit my schedule as I am a college student. I was able to continue my education and am now well on my way to graduating with a degree as an MLT. Their weekly activities have allowed me to find a group of women in similar situations to uplift my spirits and keep me striving toward my goals. The Boost program gave me the confidence and skills I would need to navigate life. Many of the skills I learned from the Boost program have become an asset to me which include how to cope in certain situations, improvement in job interviews, dressing for success, as well as how to write an excellent resume. My relationship with my kids and those around me has greatly improved with the therapy sessions I received at House of Hope.

 House of Hope has been a lifesaver. The women who volunteer and work with House of Hope are some of the kindest, most positive people I have ever met. My quality of life has improved immensely with the help I received from the House of Hope.

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As the CEO of Friendship Village and also the Board President of House of Hope, I am proud to be a part of these two mission minded entities. Partnering together, are able to come along side single mothers and young woman aging out of foster care and support and mentor them. One of the core values of Friendship Village is “Community”. As a Christian organization, Friendship Village has the opportunity to positively impact the communities we serve through strategic partnerships like the one we have with House of Hope. Through this partnership, both organizations have mutually benefited from the coaching and placement of Boost program participants. These participants have gained career readiness skills, job experiences, and job placement opportunities. This in turn provides Friendship Village with skilled workers. In addition, House of Hope has provided financial empowerment and wellness programs for our single mothers. These programs help our single mother and others in the community become more successful and improve their lives.

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