It’s been 10 years since Love In Action’s Sheltered Housing Ministry first opened the doors to those experiencing homelessness. Hope House opened for women and children in June of 2011 and Harbor Hall began housing men in June of 2012. The vision, aptly called, ‘Opening Doors, Rebuilding Lives,’ has undergone various revisions and modifications over the years, but the underlying values and vision has never changed.
In the beginning, our goals were more focused on employment and “getting people back on their feet.” Guests participated in classes, helped out with chores, began volunteering and mentoring, in addition to job searching and money management. Graduations were held for those who successfully walked through the program.
While the basic tenets of the program’s structure are still in place, we’ve learned much more about poverty alleviation, about our own brokenness, and what it takes to empower people to thrive. Hope House and Harbor Hall have become a place of healing from past traumas and experiences, a place where people are given an opportunity to transform into the men and women that God created them to be. It has become a community where people come to thrive.