Hope in Action

Hope through Housing awards $10,500 in scholarships

In June, Hope through Housing distributed $10,500 in financial aid to 16 graduates and adult learners to support their educational aspirations. Scholarships ranged from $500 to $1000 and will help cover direct educational costs, such as computers, books, and travel, not covered by other sources of financial aid.

The Building Bright Future Scholarship is championed by the Women of Hope. Members reviewed applications and made recommendations. “I’m honored to be part of the Women of Hope and to help our youth be successful. The Building Bright Futures Scholarship Program is just one of many ways we are helping our community,” said Adrianna Bluhm, Advanced Environmental Landscape, Chief Operating Officer.

The awardees were selected based upon accomplishments in the areas of academics, leadership, community service, and extracurricular activities. The scholarship review committee, comprised of 20 community volunteers, awarded a total of eleven $500 scholarships to recent high school graduates and five $1000 scholarships to adults continuing their education. All recipients are pursuing a certificate or degree from an institute of higher education.

“My dream is to someday be a civil engineer and be able to construct bridges, and make roads to improve towns,” said Brian Soriano of Melrose Villa “and winning the Building Bright Futures Scholarship will help with making that dream a reality.”

If you would like to support future scholars, please visit Hope through Housing’s Building Bright Futures Fund.

Heroes of the Outbreak

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the teams at National CORE and Hope through Housing have worked together to make sure that our residents’ basic needs are met and that they are safe. The relationships and partnerships we have built over the years, have served us well over the past couple of months, from food banks providing additional food to volunteers helping us meet the need on the ground.

Working with local food banks, community organizations, and local restaurants, Hope through Housing has delivered more than 22,612 bags of groceries and 28,472 complete meals. Staff and volunteers, including West Coast University nursing students, have conducted 11,500 wellness checks. And thanks to a donation from Amazon, we have distributed more than $200,000 in household goods, personal hygiene, baby supplies, and school supplies to our residents.

Our team at Hope through Housing has provided virtual financial counseling to residents who have lost their jobs or who are struggling to pay their bills. A new webinar series is available to residents providing financial and mental health education.

As we said good-bye to our offices and followed safer-at-home mandates, the heart of our organization shined through as we adjusted to the new world, pivoted our priorities, and addressed the immediate needs of our residents. We thank our heroes of the outbreak for joining us on the frontlines and helping us meet the challenges of this unprecedented time.

Citizens Business Bank donates 600 care bags to local families and seniors

Hope through Housing is so grateful for the support we have received from the community in recent months. Early on we launched the COVID-19 Emergency Response and Resilience Fund to help address the changing and evolving needs of the children, families, and seniors we serve. Funding has allowed us to truly help our residents during this challenging time.

Partnerships have brought funding and volunteers to help us meet the needs of our communities. Citizens Business Bank recently donated more than 600 care bags to be distributed to our families and seniors. More than 80 team members came together over three days to sort and pack care bags to help our residents. The care bags were filled with non-perishable foods, supplies, books, puzzles, and handwritten notes.

“I am extremely proud of the teamwork and effort put forth by our associates who volunteered to make this a success,” said David A. Brager, Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Business Bank. “I am grateful for our valuable partnership with Hope through Housing that allows us to continue supporting residents in need of assistance during these uncertain times.”

To contribute to Hope through Housing COVID-19 Emergency Response and Resilience Fund, please visit https://hthf.org/relief. Your donation will support Hope through Housing’s efforts to provide immediate support to thousands of children, families, and seniors during the pandemic and help facilitate resiliency over the coming months.

Back to School – Creating Virtual Classrooms for our Youth

School will be very different this year for our children and youth. After months of isolation, most of our students will begin this year in virtual classrooms. Each year, Hope through Housing hosts back to school drives to make sure that the children in our communities go back to school with the supplies they need to begin the school year. This year, the items we collect will be used to create an environment in which our children will learn.

Access to school supplies, free lunches, and social interaction is not possible at this time. Despite these challenges, Hope through Housing remains committed to helping our children succeed in school and beyond. If you would like to join us in collecting school supplies for virtual classrooms, please reach out to Julie Normand at jnormand@hthf.org.

A wish list has been created on Amazon.com to support Hope through Housing Back to School Drive. To purchase items directly, please visit our Amazon Shopping Wish List. Your items will be delivered directly to Hope through Housing’s corporate office.