Recently, Courtney Freidman from KSAT 12 (the ABC affiliate in San Antonio) visited Haven for Hope to learn about the housing options clients at Haven choose from as they transition from being unhoused to finding their next home.
In FY 2023, Haven for Hope served 9,457 clients, the highest number since Haven opened in 2010. Of the 9,457 clients, 1,085 were children, and 722 were families.
“At Haven, we’ve seen an increase in families experiencing homelessness,” said Kim Jefferies, president and CEO of Haven for Hope. “Our Family Emergency Services numbers doubled from the previous year.”
Haven’s Family Emergency Services (FES) is designed for overflow families. Haven operates a Family Residental Center (FRC) with 102 rooms. Clients must be residents of Bexar County, with proof of residency of at least nine months during their lifetime. They also need a US government or state-issued ID.
FES provides access to shelter and resources for families in need. If a family is not from Bexar County, they are provided with a 15-day compassion placement, and Haven’s team will work with the clients on other options, including family reunification, financial assistance to return to their hometown, or connecting them with other shelter options.
Young adults, 18-24 years of age, is another segment of the populations with an increase in individuals experiencing homelessness. Many of these clients have aged out of the foster care system and have nowhere to go. Haven designed a Young Adult Program in FY 2023, which provides designated sleeping areas and specialized case management.
Haven for Hope is partnering with Smiles Behind Goods for a Share the Warmth event on Saturday, January 13, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The weather is predicted to get cold in San Antonio, and for those experiencing homelessness, a coat, hat, scarf, gloves, or long-sleeved shirt can go a long way.
If you live in San Antonio and can drop off some winter gear items to Haven this weekend, you won’t have to leave your car! Drive to our Donation Center, 1 Haven for Hope Way; volunteers will collect your donation. We’ll have some local social media influencers at Haven helping us collect the donations.
Can’t make it? Visit our Amazon Wishlist, choose an item, and it will ship directly to Haven!
If you would like to support Haven with a cash donation, your support will go a long way to keep our clients warm this winter. Click here to donate.
Haven for Hope has seen an increase in families experiencing homelessness for the past year. Inflation, the end of pandemic relief funds, and rising rental costs have contributed to the increase.
Gianna Adams and her grandmother, Carmi “Mia” Adkins
Gianna Adams may only be 10 years old, but she already exhibits Servant Leadership! She has been helping her grandmother, Carmi “Mia” Adkins in Haven for Hope’s Kennel for three years. She loves helping take care of the cats and dogs who stay at Haven for Hope while their owners work on their housing plans.
Haven’s kennel has room for 20 dogs and 10 cats. Pets are important and we recognize how therapeutic it is for clients to be able to keep their pets safe while staying at Haven. Clients are responsible for feeding their pets and visiting them twice a day. Haven provides food, supplies, and basic vet care including core vaccines and flea treatments. Mia and her volunteers, including Gianna, help keep the kennel areas clean, restock supplies and make sure the pets are well cared for.
Gianna loves dogs but doesn’t mind changing the kitty liter and giving the cats fresh water and treats. “She used to be scared of the cats, but now she loves to play with them,” Mia said.
“Animals respond to love and that’s what we provide here,” Mia continued. When asked if she wants to care for pets as an adult? Gianna shakes her head. Her dream job? Illustrating children’s books.
We have no doubt, that Gianna will do great things in the future!
Bank of America Corp. established a “leader on loan” program as part of its philanthropic initiatives, which sends an executive to a local charitable organization within its respective market for a year.
Stefanie Adame, senior vice president of regional business management and operations executive at Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), was selected to spend a year as interim director of leadership and organizational development at San Antonio’s Haven for Hope.
“When I said yes to this assignment, I thought it was a perfect fit given my skill set,” said Adame. “I can come in, I can give recommendations, I can help in terms of leadership development and organizational development.”
Adame says her day-to-day duties include planning events, dealing with community partners and locating resources for the organization.
The program, which started in 2017, began as a partnership with four organizations. Today, it sends 27 executives to help with economic and philanthropic initiatives for respective organizations, according to Adame.
BofA works with area nonprofits to match leaders with the organization. She says in other markets, applications are posted for employees to sign up for leader on loan positions.
Adame said she retained her full salary, benefits and vacation time while serving as an employee with Haven for Hope. She is in the final few months of her tenure with the organization and says that once finished she will transition back to her duties with BofA.
“This is a very unique opportunity that we’ve had, the opportunity to benefit from it,” said Justin Barbour, general counsel and director of human resources at Haven for Hope. “We would welcome those kinds of opportunities in the future.”
Haven for Hope, founded in 2010 by founding CEO of Valero Energy Bill Greehey, helps provide food, shelter and clothing for San Antonio’s homeless. It has reached over 15,000 clients since its founding. The two organizations have had partnerships in the past, with Haven for Hope being named a Bank of America Neighborhood Builder in 2019.
Thank you to White Cloud Production Company for creating this video highlighting the work NEC is doing at Haven for Hope to upgrade our communication and security equipment with enhanced AI technologies.
Haven for Hope’s Veteran’s Service team works with veterans experiencing homelessness beyond their immediate shelter needs. We help them establish Social Security disability and Veterans Affairs benefits and apply for other federal and state resources that can greatly improve their quality of life.
A documentary about the homeless crisis in San Francisco featured Haven for Hope. Beyond Homeless in partnership with the Independent Institute and Urban Vision Alliance highlighted Haven for Hope in the film as a unique solution to address homelessness in our City.
KSAT covered the film premiere in San Antonio. Watch here.
To watch the documentary for free, visit Beyond Homeless.
NEC Corporation of America is Partnering with Haven for Hope to Co-create Technology-Enabled Solutions That Enhance Safety, Streamline Operations and Empower Clients
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – March 30, 2022 – Haven for Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the root causes of homelessness in Bexar County, and NEC Corporation of America (NEC), announced their partnership on March 29. NEC and Haven for Hope are co-creating a model to transform the delivery of services to clients by utilizing NEC’s best-in-class technology.
According to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, there are more than 550,000 people who are experiencing homelessness on a given night in America. The causes of homelessness are complex and solutions should meet the needs of individuals instead of a one-size-fits-all approach. That is why NEC chose to partner with Haven for Hope in this endeavor.
“For more than a decade Haven for Hope has been successfully transforming and saving the lives of individuals and families facing homelessness. In that time, Haven has become the national model in the fight against homelessness. We are very excited about this extraordinary new partnership opportunity with NEC to bring their advanced technology to our campus, which we are confident can now take Haven for Hope to the next level by enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations,” said Bill Greehey, Chairman and Founder of Haven for Hope.
Haven for Hope is more than just a shelter, it’s a 22-acre transformational campus that provides life-saving programs and services to more than 1,300 men, women and families every day. NEC will utilize its resources and world-class technology to support Haven for Hope’s mission by enhancing safety and security, streamlining operations, and empowering clients in the community and beyond.
“NEC is dedicated to creating social value that addresses society’s most complex problems through technology and innovation,” said Mark Ikeno, President and CEO of NEC Corporation of America. “It is our shared goal that this partnership will not only support radical transformation in San Antonio but be a model for other programs across the nation.”
Together, NEC and Haven for Hope have identified several technology-enabled concepts that create new value for efficiently providing quality services:
Digital identification solutions that will enhance the client experience and streamline the delivery of services at Haven for Hope and in the community.
Artificial intelligence (AI) enabled video analytics for real-time identification and response to safety incidents.
Automated mass emergency notification systems to enable multi-channel broadcast during critical events.
Data analytics, business intelligence, and automated inventory processes to improve operational efficiencies.
“Haven for Hope is honored to be selected by NEC to co-create innovative solutions that will not only enhance the client experience here at Haven for Hope but develop a model of technological innovations that can minimize barriers for those experiencing homelessness,” said Kim Jefferies, President and CEO of Haven for Hope. “It’s exciting to have the full resources of a global company at our fingertips to brainstorm solutions to improve the lives of our clients.”
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About NEC Corporation of America
NEC Corporation of America (NEC) is a leading technology integrator providing solutions that improve the way people work and communicate. NEC delivers integrated Solutions for Society that are aligned with our customers’ priorities to create new value for people, businesses, and society, with a special focus on safety, security and efficiency. We deliver one of the industry’s strongest and most innovative portfolios of communications, analytics, security, biometrics and technology solutions that unleash customers’ productivity potential. Through these solutions, NEC combines its best-in-class solutions and technology and leverages a robust partner ecosystem to solve today’s most complex business problems. NEC Corporation of America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, a global technology leader with a presence in 140 countries and $29.5 billion in revenues. For more information, please visit www.necam.com.
Haven for Hope is an independent, nonprofit organization with the mission to offer a place of hope and new beginnings for people experiencing homelessness in the San Antonio community. Haven for Hope coordinates and delivers an unparalleled system of care in conjunction with over 180 partners, approximately 60 of whom provide services directly on its 22-acre campus. Since opening in April 2010, Haven for Hope has served over 40,000 unduplicated clients and placed over 7,000 clients into permanent housing, with 92% of clients successfully maintaining their housing for one year. For more information on Haven for Hope, visit www.HavenforHope.org.