1109 Oak Street, Abilene, Texas, 79602
(915)677-4673
General Information
Commonly
Asked Questions
Homelessness
in America
Homelessness across Texas
What
are Abilene Statistics?
How does homelessness affect you?
What is Hope Haven doing to help?
What
can you do to help?
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday
Eligibility Requirements:
- Desire and willingness to commit to a self improvement rehabilitative program.
- Motivation to enter and continue with a structured program.
- Willingness to abide by shelter rules.
- Understand regulations for termination from the program in a precontractual agreement.
- Be free from alcohol and drug addiction.
- Willingness to maintain full time employment.
- Willingness to work towards GED if required.
Services Required:
- Food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and safety.
- Employment Skills Training
- Job placement assistance
- Self-improvement training (interpersonal skills, counseling, parenting skills)
- Educational opportunities, including Adult Basic Education
- Host Families Mentoring Program
- Drug and alcohol counseling
- Permanent residency counseling
Areas Served: Abilene and surrounding areas.
How many people can you house?
Hope Haven can house a total of 26 single adults at 1109 Oak Street and 14 families at 801 South Treadaway.
How long can someone stay?
The program allows for people to stay a total of 12 months. Currently, the average stay is approximately five months.
What is required to stay in the program?
All residents must have a full-time 40-hour-a-week job; attend classes for a GED if required; and remain drug and alcohol free.
Does it cost anything to live at Hope Haven?
Yes. All residents are required to pay $1 a month for rent.
What do you provide?
Hope Haven provides food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and safety.
In Addition, all basic needs needs such as soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, etc., are provided as needed.
Does Hope Haven stay full?
Yes. Hope Haven has remained 100 percnet full since March 1998 and has had waiting lists in all areas.
It takes approximately five days to process new residents.
How many people have you helped?
Hope Haven has averaged approximately 100 men, women, and children each year for the past four years.
Unfortunately, Hope Haven has also turned away more than 500 people each year for the past four years.
Are there any restrictions?
Residents must be at least 18 years old and children within families can not exceed 10 years of age.
On October 27, 1997, Hope Haven became the home of its youngest resident --a 6lb. 5ox. baby girl.
The oldest resident to date was 67 years old.
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, NCH, Fact Sheet #2, February 1999, there are several methods used to estimate the number of homeless. One method, the Clinton Administration's Priority Home!, The Federal Plan to Break the Cycle of Homelessness. Was published in 1994 and estimates between 4.96 million to 9.32 million people experienced homeless in the late 1980's.
The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty 1999 report further states that more than 700,000 people are homeless on any given night, and up to 2 million people will experience homelessness during a one-year timeframe. One fact however that is not estimeated is that the number of shelter beds has tripled in the last decade and still does not meet the current demand for services.
The Interagency Council on the Homeless published Homelessness: Programs and the People They Serve in December 1999. This information was gathered in 1996 from 76 geographical areas across the United States. This survey found that among these areas, 77 percent of homeless individuals were male but 84 percent of clients in homeless families were female. Forty-one percent of all homeless were white, 40 percent were black, 11 percent were Hispanic, 8 percent were native American, and 1 percent were other. Twenty-three percent of the survey population were veterans.
The most comprehensive report available on homelessness in Texas is the 1994 Texas Department of Mental Health Mental Retardation PATH Annual report. This report estimates that on any given night, 85,000 to 225,000 people are homeless in Texas. This report also states that approximately 25 percent of these people have a serious mental illness.
In an effort to determine a current and overall count of the Texas homeless population, the Texas Homeless Network sponsored a series of homeless surveys beginning in October 1999. This survey was conducted by local homeless coalitions. Eighteen coalitions participated in the survey, including Abilene.
On October 13, 1999, a city-wide homeless count and survey was conducted. On that one evening, 225 homeless individuals were physically contacted and asked to participate in the survey. On October 11, 2001, a second homeless count was conducted and 223 homeless individuals were physically contacted. In addition, several known homeless individuals were not counted either year, because they were not physically contacted those evenings.
Abilene's total population including Dyess Air Force Base is approximately 125,000 people. Using a formula provided by Housing and Urban Development officials and abased on this overall population, Abilene has an estimated homeless population of between 625 - 1,875 on any given night. HUD uses 1/2 of a percent to 1 1/2 of a percent of the overall population to determine this statistic.
Abilene Service providers along with city officials have determined that the local homeless population on any given night is an estimated 1,000 people. This number is consistent with the number of people served and turned away by Hope Haven each year. Hope Haven has averaged more than 750 requests for services each year for the past four years.
If you are not homeless, chances are you have seen or know someone who is. Anyone who lives from payday to payday is truly one day away from being homeless. Anyone who loses a job and is unemployed for any period of time is at-risk of becoming homeless. Anyone who has a major medical emergency is at-risk of becoming homeless. Anyone who has an alcohol or drug problem is at-risk of becoming homeless. Anyone who is going through a divorce or has gone through a divorce recently is at-risk of becoming homeless. Anyone with a master's degree and the right set of circumstances is at-risk of becoming homeless. Anyone can become homeless.
On March 1, 2002, Hope haven opened "Hope Have Too" located at 801 South Treadaway. This building is approximately 10,000 square feet and houses 14 families, while the existing program houses 26 single adults. This expansion allowed for the increase of space for 10 additional families and 10 additional single adults. In addition, it provided the opportunity to separate the program into one facility for families and one facility for singles. This allows for a better environment and more specific life skills training.
Hope Haven has many needs. If you are interested in assisting, please call 677-4673. Some of our present and ongoing needs that you can help with are:
- Your understanding that being homeless is temporary and can happen to the best of people.
- Keep Hope Haven and our residents in your prayers.
- Financial support
- Paper products (Toilet paper, paper towels, facial tissues, diapers, sanitary napkins)
- Toiletries (toothpaste, shampoo, disposable razors, soap, shaving cream, tooth brushes, combs, etc.)
- Household cleaning supplies (bleach, laundry detergent, laundry softeners, cleansers, etc.)
- Food products
- Information about employment opportunities
- Volunteer to teach a life skills class, tutor residents and/or children, baby-sit during group sessions, and many others.
- Household goods for when families move into a home of their own.
- And when you want to make a difference in someone's life, think of Abilene Hope Haven.
