Board Director and Project Lead Roman Walley explains Hope's Path's need for our first-ever expansion project.
The Project
With success comes increased demand for our services, which necessitates that we expand our capacity. This translates into the need for more housing. We will be adding a “triplex apartment building” on our current two-acre site, which will add a critical additional component to our program to help our graduates transition from dependent to true independent living.
In addition to signing a rental agreement, each apartment will be individually metered for its own utilities, giving the interns the responsibility to pay their own bills and establish a sustainable rental history; all the while, having the support of our staff as needed or wanted. This will be our organization’s FIRST major expansion milestone and allow us to grow from 10 interns to 13; which translates into a 30% rate of growth!
In addition to signing a rental agreement, each apartment will be individually metered for its own utilities, giving the interns the responsibility to pay their own bills and establish a sustainable rental history; all the while, having the support of our staff as needed or wanted. This will be our organization’s FIRST major expansion milestone and allow us to grow from 10 interns to 13; which translates into a 30% rate of growth!
In Late 2022, we initiated the design and pre-planning phase by establishing a development team. It is led by Hope’s Path Board Director Roman Walley and consists of volunteers offering project management and design skill sets. In January of 2023, we hired a general contractor to oversee the construction of the triplex apartment building.
We envision that this project will be complete, with 100% occupancy, by December 2024! The premise of this project has two main objectives. First, we want to minimize the recidivism of our intern graduates. Due to their marginalized backgrounds, we understand the struggle our graduates face to “make it on their own” after leaving the comforts and support of our program. It can, and has been for some graduates, overwhelming. Allowing leasing a unit in the triplex will allow our graduating interns the chance to be on their own while enjoying program support. What a great way to “steadily ease” into independence.
Second, renting a unit in the triplex will afford our young graduates the experience and practice of independent living, all while establishing a legitimate rental history. This will be the final step necessary in the transition from interdependent living to actual independent living. We are receiving immense support from the community, volunteers, and prospective donors regarding the concept and the approach.
We envision that this project will be complete, with 100% occupancy, by December 2024! The premise of this project has two main objectives. First, we want to minimize the recidivism of our intern graduates. Due to their marginalized backgrounds, we understand the struggle our graduates face to “make it on their own” after leaving the comforts and support of our program. It can, and has been for some graduates, overwhelming. Allowing leasing a unit in the triplex will allow our graduating interns the chance to be on their own while enjoying program support. What a great way to “steadily ease” into independence.
Second, renting a unit in the triplex will afford our young graduates the experience and practice of independent living, all while establishing a legitimate rental history. This will be the final step necessary in the transition from interdependent living to actual independent living. We are receiving immense support from the community, volunteers, and prospective donors regarding the concept and the approach.
The Building
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We would like to thank the following foundations, businesses, and individuals for their support of this project:
Building New Foundations The Baxter Trust Danos Foundation The Fondren Foundation Jackie Lou Foundation Marek BMF Solutions LLP Sherwin-Williams: Augusta Pines Intex Flooring Brian and Donna Gammenthaler Bruce Burianek Lord of Life Lutheran Church |
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