Nicholas House, Inc.

We assist homeless families in making the transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency in a structured but home-like environment through one of several housing programs. Nicholas House is committed to assisting its families attain three goals that form the basis of self-sufficiency:

Earning a living wage;
Maintaining the physical, mental and social health of parents and children;
Maintaining safe and stable housing.

Families experiencing homelessness become homeless for a variety of reasons, including poverty, lack of economic stability and earning capacity, lack of childcare, health challenges, job loss, domestic violence and more. Many families are vulnerable to homelessness due to poverty, leaving them without adequate financial resources to prevent loss of their housing in times of crisis. Prior to entering Nicholas House programs, homeless families are often forced to live on the streets, in their cars, in abandoned buildings, in emergency shelters, or in transition from one friend’s couch or guest bedroom to another.

Nicholas House addresses barriers and identifies paths forward for the homeless families we serve so that they can permanently break the cycle of poverty and homelessness and transition back into the community. Nicholas House provides services including comprehensive housing, access to food, transportation, job placement, case management, youth services, aftercare services and more for homeless families, providing them with the individualized care that they need to stabilize and regain confidence, manage their health, develop skills, increase income, improve their academics and attain and retain their own safe, stable housing.

Nicholas House’s Barriers to Housing assessment tool is used to identify focus areas and to measure progress against Individualized Support Plans (ISPs), with goals unique to each family's situation. Plans are entered into Client Track Homeless Management Information System, which is used to measure progress in income growth; permanent housing placement; budget and credit status; and children's academic progress. Data is obtained from clients, ranging from pay stubs and leases for parents to report cards, and data is collected and aggregated at 30-days, 90-days, 6, 12 and 24 months post-graduation with a survey.

By tracking families for up to two years after graduation, Nicholas House is able to maintain contact and offer support to families that experience unanticipated challenges that might endanger their housing stability, as well as track the long-term success of families served, using information to improve and expand programs.

Nicholas House is a regional leader on homelessness, and is continually involved in shaping overall policy, programs, and solutions for homeless people in the Metro Atlanta. Many area organizations look to Nicholas House for direction. Nicholas House’s programming operates according to industry best practices and meets needs that are often unmet in other approaches to homelessness by focusing on long-term stability, not just immediate need; accepting any composition of family, and keeping them intact; emphasizing family accountability and self-sufficiency through formal evaluation of personal goal plans; and using a multi-tiered approach to solve homelessness.

Nicholas House has served on the Mayor's committee to create a strategic plan for addressing homelessness in Atlanta. Nicholas House is a lead agency committed to achieving the goals of making family homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring by 2020 in the City of Atlanta. We are currently planning for service expansion in pursuit of these area-wide goals.

Last year, Nicholas House’s achieved the following outcomes for families served to include:
• 95% of families entered their own housing after graduation;
• 90% of families maintained their own housing at least 1 year after graduation;
• 100% of families were screened for eligibility for government assistance within 30 days of entry;
• 100% of families exhibited needs are referred to physical/mental healthcare services.

Children in Nicholas House programs outcomes included:
• 95% of children graduated to the next grade level;
• 30% of students were on the honor roll while living in the shelter;
• 50% of students improved at least one letter grade in a subject;
• 70% of students showed improvement in behavior.

Recidivism rates among homeless families are high and we want to help reduce re-occurring homelessness through a balanced approach that addresses the needs of each member of the family. Our balanced approach looks at the emotional and physical needs of parents and children and includes acceptance with accountability and extended guidance.Without a balanced approach, it is only a matter of time before negative thought patterns and habits rise to the surface and reverse any progress made. As a result, we are committed to long term case management solutions as provided through our supportive services that occur for 2 years after a family has completed the program. These solutions have yielded an effective outcome: over 90% of families served by Nicholas House remain self-sufficient and in their housing for a year or more.

A housing crisis is often the result of a financial one. With incomes typically much lower than is needed to comfortably pay average rental costs, families are financially vulnerable to homelessness and housing instability. A reduction in work hours, a lost job, an illness or an unexpected expense can spiral into an inability to pay the rent, an eviction, reliance on extended family for a place to stay, and, sometimes, entry into homelessness.

Affordable housing alone won’t move families out of poverty. Our housing services in combination with supportive services promote self-sufficiency. Involved in setting goals that may include education, employment, health and wellness, income management, parenting and childcare, and permanent housing, families work toward short term goals and on action steps that lead to independence. Using data to inform our decisions and practicing outcome‐based program accountability, we’re collaborating with community partners, to help make family homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring.

Helping families experiencing homelessness increase and stabilize their incomes are primary goals of Nicholas House. Nicholas House and its community friends and partners are the best hope for families that otherwise would fall through the gaps in the safety net. We will continue to offer a vibrant entryway to ending crisis for vulnerable families.