Homestretch is the most successful ministry to homeless families in the nation, and it’s a Northern Virginia ministry!  88% of families who complete their program are still self-sufficient 2-7 years after they leave Homestretch!  In comparison, a well-known national organization that helps homeless people says their success rate is 30%, and they hope to increase it to 35%.

Homestretch takes on the homeless families that the Federal program rejects because they cannot be made self-sufficient in six months. These are the harder cases. Homestretch first provides temporary housing. They work with the family for up to three years, coming up with a plan to combine education/certification with the existing strengths and experience of the parent(s) to end in a career that can make the family self-sufficient. The parent(s) work and contribute to their rent and to their savings and getting out of debt. Once the education/certification is complete, they help the parent(s) get a job in that career field, then the family moves to permanent housing. They are allowed to take the furniture from the temporary housing with them. Their website is homestretchva.org.

One example was a recent family consisting of a single mother and a boy into sports and a girl into Frozen. The volunteers who set up the temporary housing for them decorated the boy’s room with objects from his favorite team, and the girl’s room with Frozen memorabilia. When the family arrived, the kids ran from room to room, not believing how lucky they were, and the mother just sobbed with relief. Homestretch cared for them, and had a plan to put them back on their feet.

Barfonce Baldwin, Homestretch’s Executive Director, will speak to us at the Jan. 5 service.  We will also get to hear from a recent graduate from Homestretch’s program, who will talk about how Homestretch assisted her and her family to escape homelessness permanently.

Please contribute to become part of this successful ministry!  Donations may be made online through the AUUC website anytime during the month: Click Donate, then check “Monthly Outreach Offerings.” Or you may mail a check to AUUC, payable to AUUC with “Outreach” in the memo line. Donations of cash and checks may also be placed in the collection basket during the Sunday service.

Outreach collections are sponsored by the Social Justice Committee.