Current Programs

Housing

Hillcrest Transitional Housing operates apartments for homeless families. Those accepted into the program receive their own clean, comfortable apartment, with a bath and kitchen. Residents do not pay a fee for rent or utilities during their stay at Hillcrest.

Each apartment is sponsored by a local church. The church is responsible for cleaning the apartment before anew family arrives, providing a week's supply of groceries, and preparing them a warm meal to welcome the new family. The apartment houses are each overseen by a live-in resident manager.

Education

The Hillcrest educational program focuses on the unique qualities of each family. While meeting the client's basic needs, staff and volunteers continually teach residents to plan for their on-going and future needs. The education program consists of training in five areas: problem solving, employment, homemaking, community living, and financial management.

Every family meets weekly with two volunteer budget counselors to plan a seven-day family budget based on their income and needs. Budgeting focuses on relieving the burden of past due debt and accumulating a savings account to provide for future housing and emergency needs.

All adults participate in weekly life skills classes to increase their ability to feed their family nutritiously and economically. Residents also learn parenting skills through one of two state wide educational programs.

Each unemployed resident meets daily with the case manager to plan a job search and secure employment. The case manager makes referrals to job training agencies when a resident lacks basic skills or desires higher skills. Obtaining steady, full-time employment is a requirement for continuing in the Hillcrest program. If child care is a requirement for employment, Hillcrest pays one-third of a family's child care costs during their participation in the program.

The resident managers conduct weekly community living meetings in each house to promote a supportive group environment. At these meetings, residents discuss topics like self-esteem, goal-setting, communication skills, and safety procedures.

Case Management

The case manager provides on-going personal attention to resident families during and after their stay at Hillcrest. Prior to the program, the case manager participates in prospective family interviews. The case manager then helps the family become oriented to their new home when they arrive at the facility. He/She meets weekly with each family to encourage them and to assess their progress in reaching short and long-term goals. The case manager guides families as they make decisions about childcare, health issues, education, and future housing.

In addition, the case manager eases graduate families' transition into normal family life outside Hillcrest. After the program, the case manager visits the family in their new home. He/She also follows up with them by phone or letter at regular intervals of one month, three months, six months, one year, three years, and five years. The case manager records information from these follow up visits and is responsible for compiling information about the progress of a graduate family. The case manager also encourages the family to maintain their relationship with Hillcrest through phone calls and visits in the future.

Volunteers

Committed volunteers serve Hillcrest in myriad ways that reflect the diversity of their talents. Volunteers serve in leadership capacities on the Hillcrest Ministries Board of Directors, weekly budget counselors, nutritionists, parent aides, tutors, apartment sponsors, plumbers, electricians, heating and cooling, and office duties. Additionally, professionals volunteer their time to provide the families in the program with dentistry, hair cuts, tax preparation, transportation, car repair, and other duties. These talented volunteers support Hillcrest's mission to help homeless families break the cycle of poverty and escape dependency upon government programs.

To learn more about Hillcrest Transitional Housing, visit the “About Us” page.