Mission:
Down Home's mission is to empower lives by furnishing homes for families and individuals emerging from homelessness.
Down Home serves families in Cass County, North Dakota, and Clay County, Minnesota, who are transitioning from homelessness into housing. Down Home works with community agencies to refer families who qualify for Down Home's service. Down Home works closely with the referral agency and the client in preparation and anticipation of the move in date. Down home gathers all the necessary items to transform an empty space into a home to embrace, well suited for family security, comfort, and time together. Each client creates a Pay It Forward Plan to be involved in the community and continue to make connections for success. Down Home is empowering lives one home at a time.
During the first year after the reveal, Down Home remains in communication with each family. Every family served over the year is invited to our Down Home Christmas celebration in December. Families experience the sites, smells, activities, and laughter of the joyful season, and they even get to go home with a tree package. Down Home is committed to continuing the empowerment of family security and involvement in the community.
Vision:
Down Home envisions a community where everyone lives in a supported, stable, and nurturing home.
According to a report made by The FM Coalition to End Homelessness in collaboration with United Way of Cass-Clay, at any given time in the FM area there are 468 people experiencing homelessness in shelters, 52 homeless people going unsheltered, and 555 homeless people staying with friends or family. As of May 2019, 581 students were identified as homeless in the metro school districts. On any given night, there are 1,075 individuals estimated to be experiencing homelessness in the FM metro.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, "Homeless families are usually headed by a single woman with limited education, are typically young, and have young children. Homelessness can have a tremendous impact on children--their education, health, sense of safety, and overall development. Children experiencing homelessness have been shown to have higher levels of emotional and behavioral problems, have increased risk of serious health problems, and experience more school mobility, repeat a grade, be expelled or drop out of school, and have lower academic performance.
Core Values:
FAITH, DIGNITY, COMPASSION, HOPE, INTEGRITY, COLLABORATION
Down Home eliminates barriers by providing an environment that is conducive to less stress and more success.