HomeAid America

What we aim to Solve -- The following statistics is from National Alliance for Ending Homelessness
• The nation has a system of temporary shelters that reaches many people in need. However, some still sleep in locations not ordinarily designated for that purpose (for example, sidewalks, subway trains, vehicles, or parks). These unsheltered people are considered particularly vulnerable due to their exposure to the elements and lack of safety, among other things.
• Between 2019 and 2020, nationwide homelessness increased by two percent. This change marks the fourth straight year of incremental population growth. Previously, homelessness had primarily been on the decline, decreasing in eight of the nine years before the current trend began.
• People in families with children make up 30 percent of the homeless population. Unaccompanied youth (under age 25) account for six percent of the larger group.

Founded in 1989, HomeAid develops, builds, and preserves a variety of housing, including emergency, interim, transitional, permanent supportive, and affordable housing through its 19 chapters in 13 states. In addition, this includes resource/navigation centers that provide support services to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. HomeAid partners with hundreds of nonprofit organizations nationwide that provide the housing and support services that help residents move toward self-sufficiency, such as education and job-skills training, financial counseling, physical and emotional support, and much more.

HomeAid has completed 1,043 housing and outreach projects with a value of more than $315 million. HomeAid has added over 12,600 beds that have served over 520,000 previously homeless individuals. For more information, visit www.homeaid.org.

HomeAid enables the building community to give back by doing what they do best, ensuring that the upgrades/new building projects are of the highest quality and the work is both efficient and long-lasting. We work exclusively with non-profit service providers (rather than directly with those experiencing homelessness) because this helps to ensure that the people we serve will receive additional support services and programming (in addition to housing) that they need in order to reach self-sufficiency. HomeAid focuses on construction-related, technical aspects of the project, allowing service providers to focus on their core services: providing job training, financial education, counseling, etc. to ensure people experiencing homelessness rebuild their lives. The non-profit service providers receive significant savings that allow their limited resources to go back into the job skills training and other educational resources that truly help people get back on their feet.

What Makes The Homeaid Model Unique? It is a model built on collaborative partnerships between two or more nonprofits and many public and private companies. These allow each party to focus on giving back in the way that is most efficient based on their skill sets; builders focus on building, non-profit service providers on providing services to their clients, and HomeAid on bridging the gaps in fundraising, transforming the needs of the non-profit service providers, and project management.

People experiencing or at risk of homelessness move into properties we have built or renovated to have a safe and stable place to live with enriched programming that empowers them to become self-sufficient. Funds saved on each project go into educational programs and other training. Facilities that, due to budgetary restrictions and lack of familiarity with the building process, might otherwise go without necessary repairs, are remodeled and become a source of pride for the community.

By leveraging our relationships within the building industry to garner in-kind donations of labor and materials, we are able to build and maintain homes, apartments and shelters for reputable nonprofit organizations tha provide housing and services to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This collaboration allows nonprofit service providers to focus their energy and resources on providing direct services, such as financial education, job skills training, and counseling while builders provide the construction-related services needed to build high-quality housing at a fraction of the typical cost.
In 2021, HomeAid completed 60 new developments, which included several tiny home projects, housing for victims of sex trafficking, foster youth, pregnant minors, and their children, veterans, families, and those suffering from developmental disabilities, addictions, or medical conditions. This created over 900 beds, a project value of nearly $42 million.

HomeAid recognizes how challenging it can be for families to provide for their most basic needs. HomeAid provides dignity and restores hope through community engagement. The Essentials program is a community-wide drive to collect “essential” items to benefit families and individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Essentials Diaper Drive –This program asks both individuals and corporations to collect, donate, and distribute diapers, wipes, formula and baby items to meet the needs of infants and toddlers living in HomeAid-built facilities. To date, this program has raised more than 5 million items! Builders for Babies is an event where local builders come together for a one-day event to collect their donations of diapers, wipes and formula.
• Essentials CareKits – We collect travel-size toiletry items including soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant. These assembled CareKits are distributed to emergency shelters and outreach teams throughout the year.

HomeAid has a responsibility to bring awareness to the community about the issues we face concerning homelessness and to break down the stereotypes of those who experience homelessness. Homelessness affects everyone and can happen to anyone. Homelessness Awareness Month is a month-long event in November to encourage participation with HomeAid in many of the above-mentioned activities. Coinciding with National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week that takes place the week before Thanksgiving, this is a perfect time to bring greater awareness to the needs of your community as well as to promote future involvement with HomeAid.
The HomeAid WORKS program provides the environment, structure to succeed, and opportunities for quality meaningful work at a liveable wage for those who are trainable in building industry skills.

HomeAid currently has 19 Affiliates across 13 states. HomeAid's goals in regards to its affiliates are:
I. To strategically establish, expand the number of HomeAid Affiliates and their impact across the United States.
II. To provide “program” and “nonprofit management” expertise through staff and volunteer resources to the Affiliates to help them accomplish their mission of helping people experiencing or at risk of homelessness build new lives through construction, community engagement and education.
III. To enable the sharing of best practices among the Affiliates.

IV. To assist Affiliates to be effective and consistent in their operating procedures as nonprofit community benefit organizations.
V. To facilitate the availability of financial resources, in-kind donations of services and materials and engagement of other coalition partners for HomeAid Affiliates from national sources and affiliations.
VI. To promote and protect the HomeAid “Program”, brand and identity as a national organization. Additionally, HomeAid’s public relations and community education programs work to support new initiatives in affiliate markets, that will not only house those who need housing but also provide training and skills to those who want to work in the building industry.