HORIZON HOUSE INC
Providing Help . Inspiring Hope . Finding Home
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The rate poverty increased from 11.8% to 21.3% between 2000 and 2015 (Sagamore Institute, 2017). The Point-in-Time Count, required by HUD and conducted locally by CHIP, the Indiana University Public Policy Institute & outreach staff, is the primary data source regarding homelessness in Marion County. 1,682 individuals were counted in January 2018; however, it is widely recognized that the number of people experiencing homelessness throughout the year is significantly higher. Horizon House also relies on other information & data sources regarding barriers to stable housing. Collaboration with other providers and our own service data make Horizon House acutely aware of the increasing need within our community: Family shelters are routinely at capacity and unable to accommodate all those in need. In addition, Horizon House experienced a 23% increase in the number of individuals served in 2018 compared to 2017. A 15% increase occurred from 2016 to 2017.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Essential and Supportive Services
Horizon House provides comprehensive services in our day-time service center for adults (18 and older) as well as children accompanied by a parent or guardian. Essential services that are available include: safe daytime shelter, clothing, food, access to restrooms, showers & laundry facility. In addition, phones and mail delivery are available to assist "neighbors" (clients) maintain contact with service providers, family, employers, etc. Storage of personal belongings is available on a limited basis. Case managers provide individualized assessments and a variety of support services to assist neighbors in accessing mainstream resources (including food stamps, medical insurance coverage, etc.).
Horizon House provides services with hospitality, dignity and respect toward our neighbors with the goal of empowering individuals and families to overcome homelessness.
Employment Services
R.I.S.E. (Reaching Independence and Self-sufficiency through Employment) is Horizon House's employment readiness program. Enrolled Horizon House clients (18 and older) who are seeking employment are eligible to participate. Services include an employment assessment, targeted workshops to develop job search and interviewing skills, provision of a professional quality resume, job leads and assistance with computerized job search, appropriate interview attire, bus tickets for interviews, and support of employment goals. Local employers are invited to conduct workshops and/or job fairs onsite. Ongoing services and referrals are available to support neighbors with job retention and advancement.
Street Outreach
The Horizon House street outreach team works collaboratively with the outreach staff of other service providers to engage individuals experiencing homelessness anywhere in Marion County, Indiana. Teams of 2-4 staff visit homeless camps, downtown streets, alleys, and other locations where individuals are staying. The goals of street outreach services are to meet essential survival needs for safety, food, water, warmth, and to inform individuals on the streets about available services. Outreach staff provide basic supplies and services while encouraging clients to engage with resources and services that will assist them in getting stably housed. Horizon House coordinates Professional Blended Street Outreach (PBSO), a group of approximately 50 outreach workers representing 18-20 agencies. The teams work collaboratively to address the critical needs of the most vulnerable people living on the streets who are often coping with poverty, medical conditions, mental illness, substance abuse or some combination of these issues.
Housing Services
The goal of Horizon House's Housing Team is to help those experiencing chronic homelessness to become stably housed and move toward self-sufficiency. Our Housing Navigators assist clients in completing applications and securing safe housing that meets the household's needs and preferences. The Intensive Case Managers work with each individual or household member to identify and achieve their goals and build housing stability. Our housing program follows a low-barrier, harm reduction philosophy built upon "Housing First" principles.
Co-located Services
Eskenazi Health Pedigo Health Center operates an onsite, integrated (medical and mental health) primary care clinic that serves adults experiencing homelessness. Pedigo Health Center provides holistic medical and mental health services Monday - Friday with a team of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, mental health clinicians, and care coordinators. Medical services include diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic conditions, preventative care, including immunizations and HIV and TB testing, lab services, and referrals for specialty care. Intakes are completed for mental health and substance abuse services, including assistance with housing applications and placement.
Where we work
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Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of homeless participants engaged in housing services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Homeless people
Related Program
Housing Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This metric reflects number of people who obtained permanent housing. Horizon House added a program in 2018 to provide wrap around supports to chronically homeless individuals/families being housed.
Number of service recipients who are employed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Homeless people
Related Program
Employment Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
RISE prepares individuals for employment, connects them to supportive companies, and supports their first 90 days of employment.
Number of visits to our facility annually
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Homeless people
Related Program
Essential and Supportive Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Horizon House is the only day center in Indianapolis providing comprehensive assessment, an array of basic and specialized services, linkage to resources and co-located medical/mental health care.
Number of street outreach encounters
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Homeless people
Related Program
Street Outreach
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Our street outreach team meets homeless neighbors where they stay, developing relationships, addressing survival needs and connecting them to resources, including housing.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Homeless people
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The unduplicated (unique) number of clients served by all programs increased by 23% in 2018 compared to 2017. (This exact metric as not tracked and reported prior to 2017).
Average number of service recipients per month
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Every day we welcome anyone who is homeless serving neighbors with respect, dignity & hospitality.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
As the only secular day shelter in Indianapolis, Horizon House fulfills the community’s need to provide a safe, accessible and welcoming space for individuals experiencing homelessness. Horizon House, however, offers much more to our neighbors than a safe space – the array of comprehensive and collaborative services is unmatched in our community, and function as a multi-service community center for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis. Horizon House is honored to serve any adult (or child accompanied by a parent or legal guardian) in Marion County, Indiana, experiencing homelessness regardless of race, creed, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, family composition, educational background, religion or disability. The majority of neighbors served meet federal "low income" guidelines, and most earn less than 30% of Area Median Income (AMI).
Horizon House identifies its target population based on the HUD definition of “homeless” as summarized: an individual or family who 1) lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence; 2) will imminently lose their primary residence; 3) is fleeing domestic violence, or 4) unaccompanied youth under 25 or families with children or youth who are homeless under other Federal statutes. The agency impacts the lives of more than 4,000 homeless individuals each year. Horizon House addresses the immediate and essential needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness while maximizing our capacity to empower clients to secure stable income and housing that is sustainable.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Included in Horizon House's Extended 2020 Strategic Plan adopted by the agency's Board of Directors and staff are the following:
Strategic Goal #1: Provide an effective continuum of services that begins with meeting basic needs but ultimately focuses on helping neighbors secure and sustain income and permanent housing.
Strategic Goal #2: Establish a healthy and supportive organizational culture that is intentional about promoting trust and stability for the organization and its personnel.
Strategic Goal #3: Realign the Horizon House brand to reflect the organization's full spectrum of services from meeting basic needs to promoting self-sufficiency.
Strategic Goal #4: Establish a sustainable financial model with predictable and diverse revenue streams.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Horizon House made significant changes to our organizational structure in 2018 by adding the following positions:
Deputy Director, Program Manager (promoted from within), and Data and Evaluation Manager (promoted from within) and Donor Development Manager. Other positions were redesigned to better match current needs of the organization. A Director of Operations position became an Operations Manager, and a Client Services Coordinator position was upgraded to a Clinical Supervisor. In addition, Horizon House hired 7 housing team members after being awarded a contract in 2018 to provide housing navigation and intensive case management services to approximately 50 chronically homeless households moving into housing, many coming directly from the streets.
Collectively, these changes have created increased capacity to focus on critical components of the agency's strategic plan. The addition of the Deputy Director enables the Executive Director to prioritize externally focused strategies without sacrificing attention to day-to-day operations. Similarly, the addition of the Program Manager allows the Program Director to devote needed energy to strategic program development based on best practices, community collaboration, and enhanced program outcomes. The Data and Evaluation Manager position, a first in the history of the agency, provides the capacity for Horizon House to move beyond simple outcome tracking to deeper analysis of trends and impacts of programming. Combined with client satisfaction surveys, this data analysis will be used to improve program content and processes to help a larger number of clients achieve income and housing outcomes.
In 2017 Horizon House was honored to receive a $5 million gift from the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment, the majority of which remains invested as an endowment fund. Using a small portion of the grant designated for operations, Horizon House completed a technology upgrade, hired the new Donor Development Manager, funded the most recent strategic planning process, and provides training to board and staff, including a series of leadership training workshops for the entire management/supervisor team.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Horizon House continues to play a vital role in the service to homeless neighbors as we work with other providers within the community. We truly serve as a resource center for homeless individuals ("neighbors") by collaborating with a variety of agencies to provide as many services as possible in one location. In addition to employment readiness training, intensive case management, housing & outreach, we collaborate with Eskenazi Health who operates the Pedigo Health Center within our facility. The Health Center provides integrated, holistic mental health & medical care for neighbors as well as a full time financial counselor to complete applications for health care coverage with our neighbors.
Our Housing Team works closely with the Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA) to complete the application process for clients being referred for homeless preference vouchers, then provides intensive wrap around services to help connect clients and family members to community based services that support housing stability.
Additional onsite partners include:
Local companies to offer employment workshops, onsite job fairs, and other networking opportunities;
Marion County Superior Court Probation Department and Indianapolis Parole District 3 (for neighbors under Department of Correction or Court supervision);
Second Helpings to provide nutritious food, snacks and a hot meal;
Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation (HVAF) to outreach to individuals eligible for service-related benefits and programs;
St. Vincent de Paul to help address basic needs for clothing and other supplies.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
HORIZON HOUSE INC
Board of directorsas of 02/28/2022
Art Mandelbaum
Eli Lilly & Co.
Term: 2022 - 2022
Bob Schultz
Downtown Indy, Inc.
Craig Morris
KAR Auctions
Jennifer Simon
Philanthropist
Kathi Johnson
Ascension Health
Jessica Basham
Salesforce
Pearl Eakins
Ascension Health
Greg Eaton
Inner Sections
Dorron Farris
Little Star ABA Therapy
Clarence Lyles III
International Global Solution
Michelle Mahaffey
Community Health Network
Art Mandelbaum
Mandelbaum Law Offices
Dan Philpott
JP Morgan
Scott Sheehan
Eli Lilly & Co.
Nick Stephenson
Buckingham Co.
Marla Taylor
Taylor Advising
David Carr
Ice Miller
Aaron Snellenbarger
Taft Law
Kelly Young
AES
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/17/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.