Hope U helps #homeless #fostercare
Donation protected
It all just started with an idea generated by 2 men—from different racial and social backgrounds—who ultimately joined forces to help foster care youth live independently after reaching the age of 18. Today, Hope U Foundation is one of the only 501(c)3 organizations in Virginia that recognizes the need for these young people to learn structure due to their being “released” by the system with no place to call home.
The stories of “Johnathan” and “Susie” are all too familiar: being removed from home in the middle of the night, clothes placed in a plastic garbage bag, and then being removed from that home and having the procedure repeated over and over, home after home. Oftentimes, these youth are placed in homes where they’ve been shown neither love nor emotional support—and definitely not life skills.
The goal of Hope U is to provide a real-time, home-like environment. Our participants can develop life skills like financial literacy so they can budget their limited finances and eliminate food insecurity and homelessness. They also learn sustainable employment skills so they can be better employees, feed their families, provide a home, and ultimately change the trajectory of their lives. We accomplish this by teaching young people ages 14-21 independent living skills and transitional life skills, as well as offering temporary housing, mentorship, and vocational job training paths to young people ages 18-26 who have exited the foster care system.
We give them hope that even though they have had disruptions in their lives, there is still a chance for them to have a stable home.
Our program is ongoing, and we need support every day. We have been funding this project personally, but won't be able to do so much longer. We need everyone's support to help these kids reach their goals! Hope U is there for these youth...hope YOU will be too!
The stories of “Johnathan” and “Susie” are all too familiar: being removed from home in the middle of the night, clothes placed in a plastic garbage bag, and then being removed from that home and having the procedure repeated over and over, home after home. Oftentimes, these youth are placed in homes where they’ve been shown neither love nor emotional support—and definitely not life skills.
The goal of Hope U is to provide a real-time, home-like environment. Our participants can develop life skills like financial literacy so they can budget their limited finances and eliminate food insecurity and homelessness. They also learn sustainable employment skills so they can be better employees, feed their families, provide a home, and ultimately change the trajectory of their lives. We accomplish this by teaching young people ages 14-21 independent living skills and transitional life skills, as well as offering temporary housing, mentorship, and vocational job training paths to young people ages 18-26 who have exited the foster care system.
We give them hope that even though they have had disruptions in their lives, there is still a chance for them to have a stable home.
Our program is ongoing, and we need support every day. We have been funding this project personally, but won't be able to do so much longer. We need everyone's support to help these kids reach their goals! Hope U is there for these youth...hope YOU will be too!
Organizer
Nick Gabriel
Organizer
Chesapeake, VA