Residents and Staff from Good Hope Adapt to New Changes
On January 18th, 36 residents of our Good Hope transitional housing program, as well as Calvary case managers and staff, were safely evacuated before an explosion leveled the building next door. Unfortunately, Calvary’s Good Hope building suffered significant damage from the smoke and flooding from the fire being extinguished. Many residents were relocated to another Calvary housing site during Good Hope’s closure and renovation.
Now, two months later, Calvary is sharing an update on how women who were living at Good Hope have adjusted to the change in their living arrangements.
Courtney James, a case manager at Good Hope, shared, “[The women] love it here. Everyone welcomed us into the program.” Positive collaboration began to form right away as women and staff all moved into one building together.
“It feels like a whole community,” Courtney noted with enthusiasm. “Nothing is divided, and the women are very open. We get to sit and talk and bring all our ideas to the table.”
The shift also brought incredible changes to the lives of thirteen women who have been able to transition out of Calvary’s programs and into their own homes over the last two months! Courtney described the way women feel when they move into their own homes as both “excited and anxious at the same time. For those who have been working towards housing for a long time, the joy is overwhelming.”
Courtney noted that there can sometimes be a feeling of anxiety as women step away from the safety net that they’ve grown to appreciate at Calvary. Thankfully, each woman is equipped with the tools she needs to thrive on her own.
“We are working with [the women] on savings and budgeting so they are prepared for success, as well as connecting them to food banks and programs like Suited for Change and Martha’s Table. That way we can stay connected and give them the resources.”
“I had a client move out on Tuesday,” Courtney shared about this recent change. “She loved the feeling of having her keys in her hand. I was her biggest cheerleader. The women on my case load have been working toward [independence] for a long time.”
As we reflect on the changes Calvary has gone through these past few weeks, we’re grateful for the immediate response from our donors and community following the explosion on January 18th. Thanks to your support, women at Good Hope were able to continue to work on their goals of ending their homelessness for good!
Calvary is working to reopen our Good Hope transitional housing program as soon as possible so we can continue to empower more women experiencing homelessness in Washington, D.C. Will you donate to Restore Hope to Calvary? Learn more about our Restoring Hope Campaign here.