Why we do what we do

Giving You Hope was created because I know the hardship of being homeless as I was homeless for over a year myself. I will tell you when you try to get help from the government it is probably the most frustrating thing you could go through. I was in a catch 22 situation, I could not get food stamps or any other assistance because I had no address and getting a job was almost impossible so I couldn't get a place to live.

I was stuck in this state of limbo until the manager of a fast food restaurant gave me a chance. She hired me with a couple of conditions, she held 75% of my first 3 paychecks and let me eat my meals there at the store and she would wash my clothes for me as well. After my third paycheck she took me to get a small one room apartment. I worked for her for just about a year and a half then went on to become an Emergency Medical Technician. I will never forget her and what she gave to me, my dignity and a new lease on life. I never looked at it as a hand out but more like a hand up.

In 2005 there were 744,000 homeless people in the United States and 41% of them were in families according the National Alliance to End Homelessness, an advocacy group. This number I am sure has grown over the years as the economy has weakened. So it is our mission to provide cost effective housing and to do our part to offer a hand up.