Historically, programs for the homeless have been basic housing projects that don’t offer the type of resources that transitional housing facilities have today. Current programs for the homeless population seek to serve the population and empower them to improve their leadership and job development skills so they can get out of the cycle of homelessness for good. There is a need for more transitional housing facilities, funding, and social workers or counselors for this population. Magnolia House Ministries is unique in that it serves children, as well as their moms.
Examples of previous transitional housing projects in North Carolina:
- In 2012, the Inter-Faith Council for Social Services in Chapel Hill received a loan up to $600,000 from the N.C. Housing Finance Agency to help build a new men’s transitional housing facility called Community House planned for Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
- In 2012, the SECU Foundation partnered with the N.C. Housing Finance Agency to help fund the renovation of the New Hanover County Jail Annex in Wilmington, NC. The facility is now called the Marvin E. Roberts II Transitional Living Facility. It houses 46 men and women who were recently released from jail.
A lot of the transitional projects tackle populations with specific problems like substance abuse or previous incarceration. Many facilities are also only specifically for men or children. There was a lot of research missing about transitional housing for mothers and their kids, which is why Magnolia House Ministries is so needed for this population. According to the 2010 Census special report on transitional housing, roughly 33.5% of the people needing transitional housing programs are women. This means there is a specific need for more facilities like Magnolia House Ministries for mothers and their children.
Magnolia House Ministries is a one-of-a-kind facility that tackles the need for transitional housing for homeless mothers and their children. Their goal is to teach life skills for sustainable living. They create a unique case plan of written goals and requirements for success. A big part of their plan includes conducting a job search and give them skills to obtain and maintain a job. Magnolia House Ministry coaches also provide education and skills training in many topics. The coaches also provide transportation to various activities and provide marriage counseling based on the goals of the case. Magnolia House Ministry provides childcare during activities and works with other organizations to help find needed resources for clients. They also provide spiritual support and mentoring for residents. The end goal is to help them transition to a permanent residence. All of the programs offered at Magnolia House Ministry were created to set each family up for success so they can stay out of homelessness for good, find and hold a job, and leave with a faith in God as their foundation.
Magnolia House Ministries 