Housing for New Hope

James Franklin has been working with Housing for New Hope since 2019 when he exited homelessness into our permanent supportive housing program. During a home visit earlier this week, James was proud to show us how over time he has turned his house into a home. He also showed us an old ID picture he keeps in his wallet as his motivation to never go back to his old way of living, to keep moving forward, and to continue making positive changes in his life. He credited HNH for helping him find and stay in his home, stating, “I love the life I live now and the freedom I have to make decisions, learn and grow stronger, and get better every day. Thank you!”

Please join us in our mission to support those like James as they exit homelessness. Click the link in our bio to learn more and donate.

In honor of today being World Homeless Day, let us remember all those experiencing homelessness in our community and around the world, and recognize the importance of our mission to end homelessness one valuable person at a time.

Donate today at https://tinyurl.com/HNHdonation

We hope to see you TOMORROW at Pour Taproom for the Deeds for Deeds Fundraiser benefiting Housing for New Hope! Anytime between 4:30 and 7:30 when you mention “Deeds for Deeds” while ordering, a portion of your purchase will go to support the work of Deeds for Deeds in helping our community.

We are so thankful to everyone at Urban Durham Realty and Pour Taproom who have helped put together this event.

Looking for something to do this Thursday? You’re invited to join us for a fundraising event with Deeds for Deeds at Durham’s very own Pour Taproom! Come out for a good time and in support of our Durham community.

Deeds for Deeds has set the goal of raising $20,000 towards Housing for New Hope by the end of this year. To help reach that fundraising goal, please join us on October 10th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM at Pour Taproom in downtown Durham!

Thanks to Deeds for Deeds for all the work they are doing to support our Durham community.

Join us at the Deeds for Deeds Fundraiser at Pour Taproom one week from today (October 10th). 15% of sales will be donated to Deeds for Deeds to support their goal of raising $20,000 in support of Housing for New Hope this year. See you there!

We are honored to welcome James Speed to the Unlocking Doors Initiative (UDI). A Durham native and NCCU graduate, James joined UDI on July 15, 2024, and has already made a meaningful impact by helping a three-generation family move into their new home.

James was introduced to UDI through the Coordinated Entry of Durham, where he connected with Courtney Surles, HNH's Housing Partnership Specialist. Courtney then introduced James to Tanya, the Housing Manager at Families Moving Forward, who identified a family that was a perfect match for available housing.

At the recent Landlord Appreciation Event, James shared that working with UDI allows him to do good for his community while also succeeding as a landlord. He attributes his decision to join UDI to the dedication and support of partners like Courtney and Tanya, whose collaboration made this success possible.

A special thank you to James for his dedication and passion for helping families find a place they can call home!

Please join us on September 10th as we celebrate the success of the Unlocking Doors Initiative and recognize landlords who have partnered with UDI to expand affordable housing opportunities in Durham. This three-year landlord engagement program is led by Housing for New Hope in partnership with Alliance Health, Families Moving Forward, Life Skills Foundation, Project Access, and Urban Ministries of Durham. We are actively seeking landlord partners with Fair Market Rent units in Durham to support our efforts.

Please RSVP here https://forms.office.com/r/tATzSECCvA to join us at 9:30am on September 10th and learn more about partnering with us to help address housing and homelessness in our community.

Protect What’s Important to You!

Have you taken steps this month to protect and provide for what matters most? Drafting a will is important and easy to do:

Make a list of assets – bank and retirement accounts, insurance, real property.

Decide what’s important to you – family, friends, community, those less fortunate.

Find free online forms, print, fill out, and sign in front of a notary.

Keep the documents in a safe place.

Whether you are 18 or 80, you need a will and the peace of mind that comes with planning for the future. Make a plan, write a will, and protect what matters most to you.

Contact HNH at [email protected] to learn more about planned giving options and how you can leave a legacy of housing and hope.

At Housing for New Hope, we understand the impact of partnerships on the work we do. We recently partnered with Durham County Emergency Medical Services to bring medical services to Andover Apartments, one of our supportive housing communities.

Captain Helen Tripp provided basic medical services for a few of the residents, including “Nikki” who was appreciative and said she felt better afterward. She also said the visit encouraged her to go see a doctor.

Community Paramedics are experienced, specially trained paramedics with at least five years of experience with Durham County EMS. They function in a non-emergency capacity, receive extra training to serve more vulnerable populations, and are just one example of the way HNH works with community partners to offer services to our participants.

Housing for New Hope and Mayor Leonardo Williams are hosting a Landlord Appreciation Event to recognize landlords who have partnered with the Unlocking Doors Initiative to expand affordable housing opportunities in Durham.

Join us to learn more about the impact of the Unlocking Doors Initiative, which seeks to identify new landlords for various agencies dedicated to ending homelessness by offering housing assistance to families and individuals in need.

Please RSVP here https://forms.office.com/r/tATzSECCvA to join us on September 10th and learn more about partnering with us to help address housing and homelessness in our community.

For 30 years, The Forest at Duke has been a leader in social responsibility and outreach. They play an active role in enriching lives in Durham, searching for ways to be involved in our community and give back.

We are exceedingly grateful to The Forest at Duke for the generous grant they provided this year in support of the work we do at Housing for New Hope – connecting our most vulnerable neighbors to housing and hope.

On August 1st, we celebrated with the “Smith” family, a single-mother, grandmother, and special-needs daughter, as they moved into their new home. This three-generation family now has a place to call home thanks to the Unlocking Doors Initiative, partner agency Families Moving Forward, and a new landlord partner, James Speed.

The Unlocking Doors Initiative identifies new landlords for multiple agencies that are committed to ending homelessness by providing housing assistance to families and individuals in need. Through partnerships with dedicated landlords like Mr. Speed, we continue to expand affordable housing opportunities for Durham residents exiting homelessness.

Together, we're helping families like the “Smiths” find stability and security in a place they can call home. To learn more about UDI and how to become a partner, please visit https://housingfornewhope.org/unlocking-doors/

To address the August heat, Housing for New Hope’s Street Outreach team does its best to help our unsheltered neighbors in Durham stay safe and healthy. Serving approximately 60 Durham encampments per month, the team works to ensure continuous support and care by…

- Distributing water to combat dehydration

- Sharing info about heat advisories and cooling stations

- Conducting wellness checks and connecting with medical services when needed

People experiencing homelessness need your help, too! Please consider purchasing sunscreen and bug spray through our Amazon Shopping List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2YBJE7YRL73V8?ref_=wl_share

Together, we can help our unsheltered neighbors beat the heat and stay safe!

Did you know…August is National “Make-A-Will” Month

August is an excellent time to evaluate your long-term financial goals and make plans for the future.

Every family, regardless of wealth, should have a will in place, but only about 30% of Americans say they have one. Wills do more than handle financial assets – they outline important healthcare decisions, what happens to your bank accounts, cars, and social media accounts, and guidance, in the event of an emergency, on how and who should care for minor children.

It's easy to remember Housing for New Hope in your will and/or select us as beneficiary on insurance or retirement accounts, and it’s not an all or nothing scenario. For example, you can leave 75% of your life insurance policy to your sister and the remaining 25% to HNH.

Last Monday, we were notified that one of Durham’s largest and most well-established encampments, home to 12+ individuals, was in violation of trespassing on a new construction site. Many of these individuals, some disabled or elderly, have been at this location for two or three years without issue and now had to move in just a matter of days…and it was HOT!

Engagement Specialist Jennette and Street Outreach Intern Dalya went above and beyond all week last week establishing trust and rapport with these encampment residents, some not previously willing to talk with us. They brought water, ice, and bug spray, discussed plans to move, and diligently and respectfully communicated, even when tensions were high. The residents chose new locations, and in this sweltering heat, Jennette and Dayla helped them move.

Over the years we have made efforts to engage with this group. Now, we have four of the 12 officially enrolled and at least four more interested in working with us. We are still building rapport with the rest who are now talking with us.

We are pleased to report that all residents have moved. One person was able to move into one of our supportive housing communities. Another we connected with a Care Coordinator at Alliance Health and completed a Permanent Supportive Housing referral. We will continue to support the others until they are ready to take their next best step towards housing.

🌟 NCCU Alumni Day of Service was a huge success! 🎉 A wonderful group of about 15 volunteers, part of NC Central University Alumni Association’s Day of Service, came to our Williams Square supportive housing community to assemble 66 cleaning kits with products donated through a generous supply drive they conducted. Thank you to everyone who participated!

These assembled cleaning kits are provided to families and individuals who have just moved into a new home and to all other residents in the spring and fall to keep their homes clean throughout the year!

If you know of a group who would like to hold a supply drive and/or volunteer to assemble Home Essentials Kits for our residents, please contact [email protected] for more information.