New neighborhood-based project will support young mothers who are aging out of foster care
WASHINGTON, DC – Generations of Hope Development Corporation (GHDC) will lead a 12‐month collaborative process to develop plans for an intergenerational housing initiative in Washington, DC. GHDC has received a competitively‐awarded planning grant of $150,000 from the District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) to fund the planning process, which will adapt GHDC’s award‐winning intergenerational model to support young mothers transitioning out of foster care and their children.
GHDC’s neighborhood‐based model brings together service‐minded seniors with vulnerable youth and families in intentionally‐designed, supportive housing. The older adults provide indispensable social support to their neighbors who, in turn, become instrumental in promoting the well‐being of the seniors as they age. The model integrates a set of program strategies and principles that provide opportunities for all residents of the neighborhood to contribute to one another’s well-being. Since its development in 1994, it has earned wide‐spread acclaim and recognition and is currently being adapted across the country with a variety of populations.
“We are honored to partner with CFSA and other key Washington, DC stakeholders to launch planning for this effort,” said GHDC Founder and Executive Director Brenda Krause Eheart. “By working together to serve these young mothers and their children in our Nation’s Capital, we envision new opportunities for innovation and collaboration around our intergenerational model.”
“CFSA is committed to identifying strategies that leverage community resources to better serve the children, youth and young adults in our care,” said CFSA Director Brenda Donald. “The Generations of Hope Community approach has real potential in this regard, particularly for young mothers who face multiple obstacles as they leave foster care.”
The CFSA‐funded planning process for the initiative will actively engage an array of public and private partners with relevant interest and expertise, such as the DC Office of Aging and community‐based service providers. Planning efforts will officially launch in October at an initial meeting of advisory and planning committees currently being formed to facilitate key stakeholder input.
GHDC’s mission is to further develop and replicate its model of intergenerational neighborhood living. GHDC is currently advising more than a dozen GHC‐inspired initiatives in various stages of development around the nation, providing technical assistance and strategic support as needed. For more information visit ghdc.generationsofhope.org.
CFSA is the public child welfare agency in the District of Columbia responsible for protecting child victims and those at risk of abuse and neglect and assisting their families. Along with its community partners, CFSA works to ensure that children involved in the public child welfare system grow up in safe, permanent homes with strong families. For more information visit www.cfsa.dc.gov.
Contact:
Mark Dunham, GHDC
202.277.1894
dc-contact@generationsofhope.org
Mindy Good, CFSA
202.442.6180
mindy.good@dc.gov