We provide homeless families and their children with safe, secure and supportive housing with programs designed to help them progress towards a better tomorrow. Our Early Childhood and Child Development programs help children of homeless families avoid a future of homelessness and poverty.
TESTIMONIALS
Testimonial from recent graduate of the haven house program;
If you live in and love Montrose County I hope you will read this and share. I wanted to give a little of my testimony about Haven House. I have an advanced education and a very professional background. But a couple years ago I found myself in a position where I had nowhere to go. No family. And came to Haven House.
It's a beautiful home for more than 50 people along with up to 30 children who just need a little help to break cycles and find their way back home.
During my 1.5 years at Haven House I had a moment to breathe and to find myself again. Upon leaving I was generously offered a contract to write grants (my profession) and to continue my relationship with the program which I happily accepted.
I again have a home, am financially stable and working full time to support my family and contribute positively to our community.
Local Teenagers (the football captain and a friend) who mentored Haven House children. Imagine yourself as a teen, moving to a new town, not knowing anyone and having to start a new school. On top of that add the stigma of being homeless. This is a tall order for any teen to handle.
But these brothers, Sky and Josh Waterbury (left) saw it differently. They got acquainted with the Haven House teens this summer and invited them to hang out and attend their functions with them. Their friend Caleb Ayers (right) got on board and they shared many summer days doing what needed to be done…..the work of making someone feel welcome.
Testimonial for a Graduate - List the changes you made while living at Haven House
• Stopped smoking
• Got custody back my my children
• Opportunity to hide from my father
• Saved some money
• Was able to put my attitude wall down and make friends
A Graduate - from MILLIES FACEBOOK PAGE - My 3 kids and I fled from an abusive man who beat us down with words and violence. At Haven House the healing process began. It was not easy to go from a hermit status to a community of strangers. But it helped my son to manage his anger, to accept responsibility for his actions and apologize. With help my 11 year old went from K level in reading and math to 3rd grade in 11 months and to make friends. It helped me to find myself, giving me chores to do when I just wanted to hide, I received counseling from an Awesome man, Dr. Spor, helped me find God again and gave me some amazing people I am proud to call my friends. I will never forget the Haven House.
THE RYSERS, Vanessa, Madison & River - Haven House opened its doors to me and my family when I needed help so badly; I was stuck in a hopeless state. When I arrived I trusted no one and had only 2 bags of old cloths, did not have my kids, and was sleeping outside. As each day went by I began to gain confidence that this life could be mine. With help from staff, I began working towards goals, cleaned up court issues, gained custody of my kids, completed therapy for my PTSD, began to volunteer, got my drivers license, started a garden and began a home cleaning service. I thank Haven House for all that I accomplished and a special thanks for impacting my kids lives; it has a special a special place in their hearts. Much love, the Rysers.
COUPLE WITH 2 CHILDREN
We benefited from having "routines and a safe place" and "learning more to be responsible and getting my family back".
Testimonial from a volunteer at Christ Kitchen (a soup kitchen)
I was volunteering at the Kitchen today because Jeremiah was out of town, the kids came in from HH and they behaved beautifully! We so enjoyed them, and they pitched in and cleared tables and wanted to help out!!
I got my "grandma fix" with the 1 year old baby, so precious! Please know you are all welcome any time!! ~sharynB
SINGLE DAD WITH 3 CHILDREN
My name is Matthew Kurr, I came to the Haven House almost two years ago not because I wanted to but because i didn't have any where else to go, and in order to have my children returned to my custody I had to have a place to live. I came here with a bit of a chip on my shoulder, thinking that i only wanted to be here for a short time, get a job and get out. I didn't want to deal with the enrichment programs, or the chores or anything else that came along with being here. After a few months of being here i started to realize that things were not going to be as easy as get in and get out and start life, and also started thinking about how I had been here once before and didn't want to come back, but yet here i was...
Our Mission is to provide a Transitional Housing Program to homeless families and their children with support programs designed to help them move into permanent housing on a path to self-sufficiency. Our Mission for the children 5 and under is to provide an Early Childhood program that prepares the children for school when they come of age, address other developmental issues and shows the parents how to be nurturing and proactive supporters of their children's social, physical and academic development. The Mission for our school age children is to keep them in school, help them get back to grade level or higher academically, improve values and behavior and increase their chances of avoiding a life of poverty and homelessness.
The mission also includes:
• Helping families recover their children from foster care.
• Keeping the families off drugs and alcohol.
• Giving the children a better chance of graduating from high school.
• Provide guidance and support to those recovering from a history of abuse or other trauma.
BACKGROUND STATEMENT
Haven House was formed as a faith-based non-profit in September 2010 by local citizens concerned about the welfare of the homeless to offer a Transitional housing program to mainly homeless families in southwest Colorado, principally Delta, Montrose, Mesa, Ouray, San Miguel and Gunnison counties. An earlier survey in the Montrose school district demonstrated the need; it showed that well over 200 children reported being homeless. The closest service was 75 miles away in Grand Junction or Durango CO where there are emergency overnight shelters suitable for families only in an emergency.
Given the number of homeless children, our Board decided to implement a Transitional Housing Program focusing on families because we believe that this is the most vulnerable segment of the homeless population, especially single moms and women who are expecting. We believe that this focus and our programs will help ensure that the children of the homeless families we serve will not perpetuate the cycle of homelessness and poverty that they were born into. After seven months of study, development and preparation of the needed programs, Haven House opened for business on April 1, 2011 in a 13,500 sq ft. leased facility. The property is located on two acres in a park like setting well suited for our program and for families. The building has 36 units with private baths. The practical capacity is 15 to 18 families or up to about 60 persons. This property was purchased by Haven House in 2015.
In 2013 we started up a comprehensive Child Development program to address the unique needs of the children of the families living at Haven House. Children living in a homeless environment are at a high risk of becoming the next generation of homeless. Less than 25% of these kids graduate from high school. The seven (9) part program is designed to keep the children in school, raise the academic performance, improve behavior and give the kids a chance for a better tomorrow.
To help our families advance economically to a income level needed to achieve self-sufficiency, we are implementing a Career Development program. The program consists of training programs, mentors to guide them onto a career path, through their first year of employment and beyond and a network of employers that will give them a chance.
In 2018 we began implementing an Early Childhood program to help prepare the preschoolers for school when they come of age, show the parents how to be supportive of their child's development and to help the under 6 children overcome their developmental issues that will stand in the way of future development.
Since opening we have provided over 125,000 shelter nights to over 700 persons including over 400 children. During that period about 300 persons have moved onto permanent housing on a path to self-sufficiency, a number of families have been reunited and 15 babies have been born to moms living at Haven House.
Organization name
Haven House
other names
Haven House, HHOM
2010
Tax id (EIN)
27-3747144
Category
Housing & Shelter
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Colorado State Tax Credits
Colorado Enterprise Zone Credit, Colorado Child Care Credit
Address
4806 North River RoadMailing
P.O. Box 3122Montrose County, CO, US