homeless women with a burning desire to change their lives will be
able to walk through and settle in for a while. At this transitional
women's center, clients can access services that will enable them to
overcome the circumstances that led to their homelessness.
My Sister's House Transitional Living Center is scheduled to
officially open in early March 2010. MSHTLC is a program of the
Friendship Community Development Corporation (FCDC), a nonprofit
organization dedicated to revitalizing and stabilizing the communities
along the Beatties Ford Road corridor through affordable housing,
education programs, supportive services and economic development.
"The face of homelessness has changed with the economic times," says
Iris Hubbard, Director of My Sister's House. "Homeless single women
now include teachers, nurses, college graduates, PhD graduates,
veterans, young women who have aged out of foster care, grandmothers,
daughters and sisters."
The women who will call My Sister's House home may be transitioning
from substance abuse rehab, family crisis situations, physically
abusive situations, loss of income and housing, homeless shelters or
other high risk situations. At My Sister's House, these women will
receive intensive case management, individual and group support, life-
skills training, mental health assessments, medical services,
financial literacy education and job training.
"Our goal is to help them successfully transition to safe
environments, gainful employment, affordable homes, and self-
reliance," says Hubbard.
My Sister's House grew out of a partnership between the FCDC and The
Salvation Army Center of Hope temporary shelter project for single
women. Since 2007, the FCDC has helped to alleviate the overflow from
the Salvation Army by hosting temporary shelters ranging from two
weeks to one month. Realizing a growing need in this area, the FCDC
Board of Directors decided to continue the program permanently as My
Sister's House.
This new Transitional Living Center will be housed at 3239 Beatties
Ford Road in a facility donated to the program by Friendship
Missionary Baptist Church. The Salvation Army Center of Hope will
initially provide the screening for the clients, and Fill My Cup, a
nonprofit adult literacy program, will offer GED classes on the FCDC
campus from August to May.
For more information, contact:
Iris Hubbard, Program Director, 704-391-6683
C. Jennifer Coble, Executive Director, 704-391-6697
