Category Archives: Housing Projects

April 24 2018

JBJSF Joins Project HOME in Celebrating Grand Opening of Ruth Williams House

Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation joined Project HOME and other partners today in celebrating the grand opening of the Ruth Williams House at the Gene & Marlene Epstein Building in Philadelphia. The new building provides a total of 88 units of affordable housing.

JBJ Soul Foundation is proud to support the 20 units dedicated to young adult housing for youth experiencing homelessness, are formerly homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless.

Read below for the full press release:

Project HOME Announces Grand Opening of Ruth Williams House at the
Gene & Marlene Epstein Building

Newest Residence at 2415 North Broad Street Made Possible by the Vision and Generosity of Local Advocates and Long-time Supporters of Project HOME

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 24, 2018) – Project HOME today announced that the Grand Opening of its newest residence, Ruth Williams House at the Gene & Marlene Epstein Building will be held on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. The residence, located at 2415 North Broad St., provides 88 units of affordable housing (20 dedicated to young adults) to men and women who are homeless, formerly homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, as well as low-income members of the community. The building was named in honor of Ruth Williams and Gene and Marlene Epstein – long-time supporters of Project HOME and powerful advocates for ending homelessness in the city of Philadelphia.

“We were heartbroken when Ruth passed away before she could see this incredible project come to fruition, yet we know her spirit and commitment to let everyone live their best life is ever present here,” said Sister Mary Scullion, Project HOME co-founder and Executive Director. “Ruth lived her life by a simple creed – ‘Love, teach, share.’ This new residence honors Ruth’s life and her meaningful impact on Project HOME’s work by connecting people to education and employment services, as well as medical services. Ruth’s and Morris’ generosity helped to create a place of stability and revitalization for the North Broad Street neighborhood.”

Residents of Ruth Williams House will be connected to medical, behavioral-health, and recovery services through Project HOME’s Health Services Program at the Stephen Klein Wellness Center, and will be eligible to receive employment and education services through Project HOME’s Workforce Solutions Program.

“Our relationship with Gene and Marlene Epstein dates back to the 1980s,” said Sister Mary. “Since then, the Epsteins have worked tirelessly to create the awareness, passion, and funding needed to end homelessness in Philadelphia for good. This new residence is a tribute to their conviction and leadership, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”

“Marlene and I are so excited for this property to officially open its doors,” said Gene Epstein of the Gene and Marlene Epstein Humanitarian Fund. “Project HOME has a long track record of being a source for good in our city, and we’re proud to support an organization having such a positive impact.”

On April 9, a delegation of federal and local elected officials, including Congressional representatives Dwight Evans, Bob Brady, and Brendan Boyle, visited Ruth Williams House to highlight this project as a successful use of federal investment to solve serious urban problems, and to stress the need for a continued role by the federal government in addressing the affordable housing crisis in the United States.

Ruth Williams House at the Gene & Marlene Epstein Building is the fifth project funded by MPOWER, a Project HOME community investment partnership that is multiplying the impact of Project HOME’s proven approaches to breaking the cycle of homelessness. The partnership focuses on revitalizing entire communities, including building new homes and programs to support the vulnerable individuals of today and tomorrow and breaking the cycle of homelessness for young adults.

About Ruth Williams House at the Gene & Marlene Epstein Building

Ruth Williams House at the Gene & Marlene Epstein Building is a five-story, approximately 80,000-square-foot building, with 88 total efficiency units, and approximately 2,400 square feet of first-floor retail space. It was designed and constructed with sustainability in mind and has achieved LEED silver status. It includes on-site laundry and a community space for residents. Twenty of its units are dedicated to young adult housing, virtually doubling Project HOME’s capacity to house youth who are or are at risk of becoming homeless.

Just two blocks from Temple University, the development is located in a “transportation hub,” and the site is identified as an ideal location for transit-oriented development. It is in walking distance of both a subway stop and regional rail stop, as well as four bus routes. The project supports Philadelphia’s goals to develop the North Broad Street Corridor, reestablish North Broad Street as a mixed use urban area, promote Philadelphia’s image as a “walker’s city,” and build connections along the North Broad Street corridor.

Ruth Williams House at the Gene & Marlene Epstein Building is made possible through the support of public and private partners including Ruth and Morris Williams, Gene & Marlene Epstein, Leigh and John Middleton, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, Philadelphia Housing Authority, City of Philadelphia, Division of Housing & Community Development, Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Capital One, National Equity Fund, FHLBank Pittsburgh, PNC Bank, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, JBJ Soul Foundation, Janet and John Haas, The Neubauer Family Foundation, TD Bank, Sheila and John Connors, Deborah M. Fretz, Independence Foundation, Toby Strogatz and Stephen Klein, and Paul L. Newman Foundation, Le Vine Family Foundation, and Jeannie and Michael O’Neill.

About MPOWER

MPOWER is a Project HOME Community Investment Partnership drawing on a powerful network of people and ideas that multiplies Project HOME’s impact in five key areas: investments, relationships, resources, advocacy, and evidence. In just five years, the partnership’s impact multiplier model has leveraged $20 million into $200 million which has helped to provide services to more than 15,000 people, including ending chronic street homelessness for more than 800 people.

About Project HOME

Since 1989, Project HOME has helped thousands of people break the cycle of homelessness and poverty by providing a continuum of care that includes street outreach, supportive housing and comprehensive services that focus on health care, education and employment through both adult and youth education and enrichment programs at the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs and community-based health care services at the Stephen Klein Wellness Center. Project HOME and its partners have pledged to end chronic street homelessness in Philadelphia. To learn more, visit www.projecthome.org.

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January 30 2018

A ‘Hub of Hope’ For Those in Need

Project HOME, City of Philadelphia and SEPTA Open First-of-Its-Kind Facility to Assist City’s Homeless

PHILADELPHIA, PA (January 30, 2018) — Project HOME, the City of Philadelphia and SEPTA held a ribbon cutting ceremony today to celebrate the opening of the new Hub of Hope in the Center City sub-concourse. The 11,000-square-foot facility is operated by Project HOME and provides a gateway to vital services and care for Philadelphia’s homeless. The Hub of Hope is a first-of-its-kind engagement center for homeless created via a partnership with a social services agency, a transportation authority and a municipality.

“SEPTA is not only in the transportation industry, we are also in the community service business and we are proud of our role as a partner in working to find solutions to the Philadelphia region’s needs,” said SEPTA Chairman Pasquale T. Deon, Sr. “Beyond the human toll of homelessness and poverty, homelessness presents unique challenges for SEPTA and our customers, especially in Center City. That is why SEPTA and our Board are proud to support the Hub of Hope to help those struggling with homelessness.”

Philadelphia Mayor James F. Kenney added, “We know that City government can’t solve homelessness alone. This kind of partnership shows what we can do when we all work together. I hope other businesses will take SEPTA’s lead. They invested their money and leadership in the development of this site, stepping up to be part of a creative solution.”

Since 2012, the Hub of Hope—operating in a 150 square-foot storefront in Suburban Station from January-April—has placed thousands of those experiencing chronic homelessness into shelter, treatment and other housing options. In 2017, 1,462 individuals visited the Hub of Hope more than 11,000 times. The new permanent facility will be open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and on weekends, year-round, not just during winter’s cold months.

“Project HOME is proud to partner with SEPTA, the City of Philadelphia, and many other committed partners to establish a larger, permanent, year-round location for the Hub of Hope,” said Sister Mary Scullion, Project HOME co-founder and Executive Director. “Thanks to the incredible dedication and leadership of this partnership, the new Hub of Hope will offer a safe place where people can enjoy a warm cup of coffee, take a shower and wash laundry, and speak to peers or case managers to begin the process of finding a permanent home. It creates even greater opportunities to connect individuals experiencing homelessness to treatment, medical care and ultimately stable, supportive housing.”

The new Hub of Hope is located in an underground concourse space that was last used 25 years ago by the Philadelphia Police Department Transit Division.

“We knew there was a location that would give Project HOME the room its staff needed to better serve the city’s homeless population,” said SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel. “We realized it was a huge undertaking to have the facility up and running by the winter. But I knew the team of in-house employees and contractors would meet the challenge. And they did, working around the clock. I am proud of their commitment to meet the demands this job brought.”

Construction on the facility started in mid-August 2017. Staff at the new Hub of Hope will continue to engage, assess and place individuals experiencing homelessness into shelter, treatment or other long-term housing opportunities with supportive services. The center also includes shower and laundry facilities for visitors.

While the new Hub of Hope is the result of a partnership with Project HOME, the City of Philadelphia and SEPTA, start-up funding for the facility was made possible through the support of many individuals, organizations and businesses, including: Bank of America; Lynne and Harold Honickman; Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation; Leigh and John Middleton; Aileen and Brian Roberts; Wawa, Inc.; and A. Morris Williams, Jr.

“Wawa is proud to provide support, which includes our coffee to anyone visiting the Hub of Hope all year long,” said Dave Simonetti, Sr. Director of Store Operations for Wawa. “We are committed to partnering with the City and others to support programs that make a difference in the lives of all citizens. We commend Project HOME, the City of Philadelphia and SEPTA for imagining this exceptional space and we are honored to join the partnership that made it a reality.”

“This partnership remains committed to breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness” said Jon Bon Jovi, Chairman of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation. “The Hub of Hope is another example of what we like to call the ‘Power of We’”.

“Thank you to all of those who put their faith in this project and believe in the mission of Project HOME. Working together, we will make a difference in the lives of thousands in our region,” said Deon.

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September 1 2017

Hurricane Harvey Relief

The needs of residents in Texas and Louisiana area following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey are continuing to grow, particularly for those most vulnerable in our communities. We urge you to join us in supporting relief efforts now and in the future. As an initial investment, we are supporting the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund established by the Houston Mayor at the Greater Houston Community Foundation and Covenant House Texas, a long term partner of the Foundation.

For additional information about these and many other organizations in need of your support please visit this list provided by NPR.

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February 10 2016

180 Turning Lives Around Thanks Major Donors of New Safe House

Among the supporters recognized at the gathering were 180’s closest community partners including: Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, Faith and James Knight Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. William Luby, Mr. & Mrs. Philip D. Murphy, New Jersey Natural Gas, Dr. Robert and Joan Rechnitz and Verizon. With gratitude to these lead supporters and many others, 180 expressed appreciation to the donors whose generosity made possible the facility which is set to accept its first families later this month.

Pictured at the donor recognition event for the new 180 safe house are (from left to right) 180 Executive Director Anna Diaz-White with Lead Donors Cheryl Bliss, Fran Lobl, and Lisa Knight with the Faith & James Knight Foundation; Martha Delehanty and Andrew Testa from Verizon; Dorothea Bongiovi from the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation; and Kathy Ellis from New Jersey Natural Gas.

The new safe house will accommodate twice as many families as the current facility so that more individuals and families from Monmouth County can be served. More than 400 families were turned away over the past five years because the capacity of the existing shelter couldn’t meet the community’s needs. Monmouth County continues to rank among the highest county in the state for police-reported domestic violence incidents. In New Jersey, an act of domestic violence happens every 7.29 minutes, and it is the largest cause of homelessness in the United States. The new shelter will be able to house 45 clients and children at one time, up from 25 at its current location.

180 Executive Director Anna Diaz-White lauded the work of Capital Campaign Chair Eileen O’Hern Luby, who passed the compliments to her entire committee. “This committee was instrumental in raising the money for this safe house” said Luby. “Our current shelter is safe and clean, but our new one is a real home. Ten years ago, (former Board of Trustee President) Phil Murphy said, ‘We can do better.’ And we have done better. We have done our job.”

“These families who will stay here deserve this new place to call home. They have gone through something horrific,” said 180 Board of Trustee President, Danielle Sherwood. “I am proud to be part of this agency that helps people during a really difficult time.”

“My staff and I do our jobs, but all of you at 180 motivated us to go above and beyond,” said Senator Joseph Kyrillos. “Congratulations to the 180 board and staff, and the greater community for coming together to create a great model for the rest of the state. You have done a tremendous community service.”

The reception honored the generosity of donors, the hard work of the architects and builders, and the dedication of the 180 Board of Trustees, employees and volunteers whose vision and determination brought this project to fruition. Ground was broken and construction of a new safe house began in November of 2014. The house features 12 individual family bedroom suites with private baths, communal kitchen, dining and living areas, laundry facilities, a teen “rec” room, two creative arts therapy studios, counseling rooms, a computer/library resource room, individual storage units for each family, outdoor playground and garden.

Late last year, two major fundraisers also helped contribute to the success of the safe house construction. The October premier classic motorcar show, Concours d’Elegance, led by Jeff Cruz of Rumson; followed by December’s “Hope 8 Concert” at the Count Basie Theater, hosted by Bobby Bandiera, both provided significant funding for the organization. While the safe house construction is now complete, additional funds are needed to finish furnishing the building, as well as to provide needed counseling, therapy, transportation, court assistance and other vital services that survivor families need to begin anew. 180’s upcoming 40th Anniversary Celebration, set for April 15, will help to raise funds to supplement the operational costs of the safe house and other vital 180 programs. For more information about making a tax-deductible contribution to 180 or to attend the fundraising event in April, contact Lynn Lucarelli, Director of Development, at lynnl@180nj.org.

Story was written by 180 Turning Lives Around

NJ State statutes state that “Information which may identify the location of a shelter for victims of domestic violence shall not be deemed to be a public record.”

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May 14 2015

JBJ Soul Foundation helps Phoenix Pass expand

Story by Sandra Brands, Rockdale News

Transitional housing for homeless women and children to add 8 apartments

The grant from the New Jersey-based charity will be used, in part, to help the Rockdale County transitional housing project garner more community support. Phoenix Pass will need to raise an additional $40,000 from the community to partially match the Foundation’s grant and complete its capital campaign.

“Jon Bon Jovi Foundation really tries to help families in economic stress,” said Marcie Howington, Executive Director of the transitional housing program. “They have been overwhelming with their support and they’ve been very happy with the program we’ve had with our first set of apartments.

Located on the Light House Village campus at 541 Sigman Road, Phoenix Pass is a partnership between First Baptist Church of Conyers and Rockdale Emergency Relief, a non-profit organization supported by United Way in Rockdale. During construction, HomeAid Atlanta, will partner with Phoenix Pass by providing donations of providing donations of professional construction services.

The apartments provide transitional housing for families in crisis, offering independent living and preparing them to be self-sufficient. In addition to providing stable housing, the program provides services and resources to help families rebuild their lives. The families are then expected to transition back into the community as productive and self-sufficient citizens.

“We’re trying to break the cycle of homelessness,” Howington said. “Some of these families may have been homeless most of their lives. Other families may have [experienced] traumatic events. They may have been homeowners, are educated and used to living on their own. To put them in a dorm-like room would be even more traumatic.”

The apartments, she said, gives them something to be proud of, and it gives them hope for the future.

It’s not the first time the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has given to Phoenix Pass, which is the only project in Georgia it funds. In 2010, during the first phase of construction, the foundation donated $60,000 to the project. Since then, the Conyers-based project has kept in contact with the foundation, sharing success stories about the families that have graduated from the program and sending Christmas cards, said Howington.

Mimi Box, Executive Director of the Philadelphia based nonprofit, said Conyers stood out for several reasons, including the strong partnership between the Phoenix Pass project and Rockdale Emergency Relief that would “enable the program to focus on the needs of the families who would be in residence. Support that empowers individuals to rebuild a productive, self-sufficient lifestyle is an important component of any build we do.

“The need to address the issues of the chronically homelessness as identified by the county school system was so compelling, we had to act,” she said. “So when they were ready with Phase II of this project, we, too, were ready to respond – again with the ‘gap’ funding that would be needed to move the project forward.” Box said.

Originally, the second phase of the Phoenix Pass project was to break ground in January of this year, but “we wanted to wait until the weather was more temperate [to begin construction],” Howington said.

They also wanted to have at least 75 percent of the $600,000 capital campaign raised before breaking ground, she said. “Getting the $60,000 puts us so close to our goal. Once we raise the $40,000 [from the community], we will be able to move forward debt free. We hope to have the construction completed this fall, with families moved in by the end of the year.”

The non-profit has raised more than $500,000 since July. “We’ve been really blessed with support from individuals to corporations and businesses,” said Howington.

The new units will double the size of the existing program, making it possible to serve eight additional families of single women and their children. The $600,000 construction project will add six two bedroom and two three bedroom apartments, as well as a classroom, a bigger laundry facility and office space. Two of the apartments will be made available to women veterans with children. Referrals will be done through United Way of Greater Atlanta.

The expansion of the transitional housing program is needed, she said. Recently, an apartment became available and there were 85 applicants. “It was overwhelming for us, and disheartening to applicants,” she said. “People are shocked to learn there are over 400 kids who are identified as homeless. There are [others] who sleep in cars or who couch surf week-to-week, and they may not be included in that number.”

Once the buildings are completed, Howington said, Phoenix Pass will need volunteer help to prepare and furnish the apartments.

For more information or to donate online, go to phoenixpass.org.

To read the original story on Rockdale News, visit rockdalenews.com.