PLATINUM2022

FRIENDSHIP HOUSE INC

A Way Home

Wilmington, DE   |  www.friendshiphousede.org

Mission

Unite people facing homelessness with loving, supportive communities they can call home.

Ruling year info

1989

Executive Director

Kim Eppehimer

Main address

PO BOX 1517

Wilmington, DE 19899 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

51-0306759

NTEE code info

Other Housing, Shelter N.E.C. (L99)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is not required to file an annual return with the IRS because it is a church.

Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

There is a gap of services for those experiencing homelessness and displaced individuals which allows for a holistic and relational method of programming. Friendship House believes in filling the gaps within the community of New Castle County, Delaware so that any displaced person can find refuge and help towards a self sufficient way of life.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Friendship House Empowerment Centers

Friendship House views its empowerment centers as its primary contact with those facing homelessness throughout Delaware. The Centers are not only Ground Zero for the Friendship House Empowerment Strategy Program; it is also the agency’s principal guide for the needs of the Delaware community.

The Empowerment Centers serve clients with a way home. Each center is part of the network of homeless ministries housed out of local churches which have a partnership with Friendship House. The principal services include basic hospitality (coffee/ tea, water, bathrooms), the Home Base Program (mailing address, phone, a referral service, and the Job Readiness Program (Computer lab, Job mentors, Resume, Bus Tickets). In addition to case management, the Empowerment Centers help people with clothing referrals, pay medical prescriptions, distribute bus tickets and help to purchase birth certificates and/or state ID cards.

Population(s) Served
Adults

A Code Purple is called in the city of Wilmington, Newark, or Middletown, DE when the temperatures are low enough to be dangerous to those who have no shelter to keep them safe. Partnering faith communities open their doors for Friendship House to utilize for Code Purples. We offer dinner, breakfast, and a safe and warm place to stay until the morning.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Our Transitional Housing program, which has been operational for more than 30 years, uses a holistic, individualized approach focusing on assisting people achieve self-sufficient living. The factors making this program so successful include a combination of structure and grace. We want people to succeed, and we create a loving, safe environment where they can do that. Our transitional housing program requires our residents to seek employment once they are stable, save money, and work on interpersonal issues and concerns. Although the majority of our folks come to us through referrals from in-treatment drug and alcohol rehabilitations, we also work with men and women who have been in a domestic violence situation or are victims of human trafficking. We aim to give them space and time to understand how to live post significant trauma while continuing case management. This program is extensive and can take at least a year before someone is truly capable and ready to live on their own.

Population(s) Served
Adults

The Friendship House Clothing Bank (CB) provides free clothing to the community, an employment opportunity for women looking to get back into the work force, and a wonderful volunteer opportunity for all ages. We accept gently used clothing for all ages and genders and, through a referral process, redistribute the clothing to the community at no cost. Anyone who is need of clothing may make a request at any of our Empowerment Centers or any other approved human service agency center.
We also have a Creating Excellent Outcomes (CEO) Training Program which provides a wage-paying opportunity, life skills and job training program for women committed to making a positive change in their lives. We employ women from our Transitional Housing Program or work release programs.
Our CB also houses our School Uniform Initiative which assists schools in New Castle County that have limited resources and provide uniform items to be distributed to their students.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Children and youth

Our program supports assistance with rent, utilities, and medical bills. We aim to help folks reduce their outstanding bills and set up sustainable payment plans. Community members can come to FH as call-in/walk-in clients or through referrals. These individuals work with FH case managers to assure their needs are met and that the funds are going to the appropriate places. Community members can be awarded up to $200 to assist with their financial burdens.
Financial Assistance also houses our Fines and Fees program which works to assist individuals who currently are unable to afford to pay off their court-issued fines in order to minimize homelessness in New Castle County. Many people can be crippled with unpaid fines and fees issued by a court. Most Americans do not have the financial capability to pay off an unplanned financial obligation. We are seeking to ease this burden and enable these individuals to lift

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Awards

Nonprofit of the Year 2021

AFP Brandywine Chapter

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Average number of service recipients per month

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Economically disadvantaged people, Homeless people

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of low-income households who have received utilities assistance to keep the lights, heat and/or water on in their homes

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Economically disadvantaged people

Related Program

Friendship House Financial Assistance Programs

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Pounds of clothing given to low income households.

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Friendship House Clothing Bank

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of low income individuals who received free clothing.

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Friendship House Clothing Bank

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

At Friendship House, we meet individuals and families wherever they are in their journey. Our compassionate staff help them experience the hope, empowerment, and self-sufficiency they deserve. Friendship House serves New Castle County through various programs that attempt to fill the gaps in the homeless service network.

Friendship House is in a field of its own because we are so many things to so many people and we focus on serving where gaps exist. For the gentleman who just found himself living on the streets for the first time with temperatures falling quickly overnight, we are his sanctuary. for the woman with kids walking away from an abusive partner, we are a safe haven. For the parents with four kids and not enough jobs to pay their rent, we are their last hope. And for organizations all over the county, we are a partner, friend, and collaborator.

Friendship House works with anyone at any point on their journey. We don’t have hefty income or location requirements. We don’t have quotas we have to meet. We don't have contracts limiting or requiring our way of offering help. What we do have are our hearts, and we open them to anyone who enters one of our many locations. We also do not limit the length of time we will walk with any individual – we walk with them as long as it takes and as long as they want us there.

We strive for every person, whether it be staff, volunteers, or clients, to be treated with mutual: Love, Respect, Compassion, Grace, and Acceptance.

1. Sponsor low-budget, volunteer-intensive survival programs that fill gaps in the human service safety net. Examples: Transitional Housing, Sunday Breakfast, Friendship House Clothing Bank, Winter Sanctuary, Empowerment Centers, New Castle County Hope Center.

2. Operate Empowerment Centers open to anyone in need. Such centers offer a variety of consumer services that attract large numbers of displaced people with specific needs (e.g. Non-perishable food, a clothing referral, a bus ticket, hygiene products, assistance obtaining necessary identification documentation, funds to help with one's rent or utilities, etc.). Clients meet with trained case workers who help them assess their current situation, develop a strategic plan, and identify the appropriate, available resources.

3. Strategic Problem-Solving: Having helped the client assess their current situation and prioritize their issues, Friendship House encourages the client to identify and address their most pressing personal issue in a strategic manner. In some cases, Friendship House connects the person to the appropriate program that will provide the professional services and resources needed to implement this strategy. In other cases, the client is admitted into one of Friendship House's own programs.

4. Strategic Living: Clients that have experienced success in addressing one of their problems in a proactive, strategic manner are then invited to extend these life lessons to other aspects of their lives. Such clients enter into long-term relationships with Friendship House that usually include six months to a year's residency in the Transitional Housing Program. During that time, they may address issues as varied as family reunification, career development, credit restoration, recovery from an addiction, restitution for a previous criminal act, etc. Friendship House has developed the resources to address all the above issues through matching financial assistance and on site programs sponsored by volunteers who offer their professional services.

5. Although clients graduate from various Friendship House program stages, Friendship House is committed to their permanent well-being as well as their programmatic success. For this reason, more than 25% of empowerment center clients and 60% of housing clients maintain ongoing relationships with Friendship House. Such graduates often become peer mentors themselves within the programs. Having owned their past, they can face their future.

Friendship House has multiple programs that work to fill the gaps in New Castle County’s homeless service network. These programs are broken into the following:

The Friendship House Clothing Bank has continued to grow as a clothing resource for the community, an employment opportunity, and a vehicle through which a large coalition of community organizations can collaborate in service. The Clothing Bank has three primary missions. First, it serves as a location for collecting and distributing donated clothing with a delivery service to those community agencies in direct contact with individuals and families in need. Second, it provides entry level employment and training to women re-entering the work force. Third, it creates volunteer opportunities for churches, businesses, and community organizations.

The Transitional Housing program is designed to support adults who are committed to making changes in their lives. Friendship House operates several houses for motivated employable adults, with or without children, who are looking to re-establish themselves as independent, self-supporting members of our society. Many individuals come directly from drug/alcohol rehabilitation programs, prison, or even domestic violence shelters. The program operates in three stages and, on average, offers about one year of transitional housing and programming.

The Empowerment Centers offer a wide variety of services focusing on empowering individuals who feel lost, displaced, or powerless. The Friendship House Empowerment Centers offer anyone experiencing significant strife daytime sanctuary and vital services. As a referral and screening source for more than twenty-five churches, the four empowerment centers are a life line for individuals and families at risk of losing their housing. They also serve as empowerment centers where those experiencing homelessness receive the professional case-management, communal support and financial resources they require to rebuild their lives.

Finally, the Winter Programming includes winter sanctuary, Code Purple, and an Empowerment Program at the New Castle County Hope Center. Friendship House runs a winter sanctuary program from November – March. As bitter cold temperatures can cause loss of limbs or even life with extended exposure, we partner with our faith community to ensure there are warm options for our friends facing homelessness. Code Purple shelters those experiencing street level homelessness in New Castle County when the temperatures were low enough to be dangerous to keep them safe. The programming at the NCC Hope Center provides guidance, case management and various referrals to over 300 guests 24 hours a day.

Friendship House has walked with thousands of individuals and families through their various programs.

The Friendship House Empowerment Centers have served over 40,000 individuals to date at their four locations. In 2020 alone, the Empowerment Centers walked with over 2,000 individuals. The Empowerment Program at the NCC Hope Center has walked with over 400 individuals to date, along with over 20 pets.

The Friendship House Transitional Housing Program has assisted over 2,000 residents to date. In 2020, Friendship House guided over 75 residents, and 11 residents graduated the program.

The Friendship House Clothing Bank works with over 100 referring agencies. In 2020 the Clothing Bank processed nearly 150,000 pounds of donated clothing, and employed 12 job trainees, and served almost 4,000 people across New Castle County.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    Friendship House (FH) defines homelessness as one who is separated from their community and experiencing a loss of belonging, home, and security. This causes various levels of homelessness which can be traumatic and often spirals into a long, painful and isolated journey. FH becomes their temporary community as we walk with them to find a place they can call home where they can receive and give support. Homelessness does not discriminate, neither does FH. We understand anyone is susceptible. However, those we serve tend to be low to lower income people, minorities, those recently released from incarceration and drug or alcohol rehabilitation, and those living on the street and in shelters.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client 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

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve

Financials

FRIENDSHIP HOUSE INC
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build 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.

FRIENDSHIP HOUSE INC

Board of directors
as of 07/22/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Brenda Dean

First & Central Presbyterian

Term: 2020 - 2022


Board co-chair

Rosanne Miller

Christ Church Christiana Hundred

Term: 2020 - 2023

Scott Sapp

Trinity Presbyterian Church

Connie Shultz

Immanuel Church Highland

John Barineau

Concord Presbyterian Church

Sarah Berninger

Trinity Episcopal Parish

Karen Chellquist

Grace United Methodist Church

Sandy King

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Lee Maus

Saint Mark's United Methodist Church

Jacqueline Moultrie

Rosanne Miller

Christ Church Christiana Hundred

Gail Kilmer

Fred Crowley

Red Clay Creek Presbyterian

Carolyn Cotter

Limestone Presbyterian

Heddi Knox

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • 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 ? No
  • 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? No
  • 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

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 7/22/2022

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
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 08/19/2021

GuideStar 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

Data
  • 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.
Policies and processes
  • 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.