are you eligible?
To be eligible for our program you must meet the following criteria:
Do you want to get back on your feet financially?
Do you want to be able to buy your own home?
Open Hearts Place will provide intermediate housing for up to 3 years and assist you and your family to overcome current barriers that inhibit your financial, emotional and social stability.
You may apply for the OHP program if you:
• are the parent/guardian of at least one minor child.
• are interested in owning your own home in three years.
• are employed fulltime in a reliable job.
• are able to meet the income requirements.
Application Process is a 4 step process. You will find all the information on those steps in the document below. Applicants will be notified by phone and/or text to proceed to the next step.
The mission of Open Hearts Place is to provide homes supported by programming in partnership with the community to promote family self-sufficiency.
The vision of Open Hearts Place is to break the cycle of poverty by creating wealth, home ownership, and strengthening families and communities.
Download 2023 Application & Information Here
Do you want to get back on your feet financially?
Do you want to be able to buy your own home?
Open Hearts Place will provide intermediate housing for up to 3 years and assist you and your family to overcome current barriers that inhibit your financial, emotional and social stability.
You may apply for the OHP program if you:
• are the parent/guardian of at least one minor child.
• are interested in owning your own home in three years.
• are employed fulltime in a reliable job.
• are able to meet the income requirements.
Application Process is a 4 step process. You will find all the information on those steps in the document below. Applicants will be notified by phone and/or text to proceed to the next step.
The mission of Open Hearts Place is to provide homes supported by programming in partnership with the community to promote family self-sufficiency.
The vision of Open Hearts Place is to break the cycle of poverty by creating wealth, home ownership, and strengthening families and communities.
Download 2023 Application & Information Here
Programming is the Key to Success.
Each family is required to create a Personal Development Plan (PDP) to achieve the goal of qualifying for a mortgage and purchasing a home after 3 years in the Open Hearts Place Program. This plan can include: increasing work skills via training and further education opportunities; analyzing the family’s current income, living expenses and debt leading to increased savings, and developing a workable budget that helps the family transition from Survival to Stable and eventually to Thriving status.
To assist the family in their Personal Development Plan we have created a Team of Allies. They are 1) a Case Manager to work with each family. This person is also an employee of Blue Ridge Community Action, 2) a volunteer who acts as a financial coach and 3) another volunteer who has professional experience in working with families in poverty for over 40 years in the Burke County area and who has expansive knowledge of agencies and services to assist the families. Each family is required to meet with the Allies at least once a month to review progress on the PDP. At times, it is necessary to meet weekly or bi-weekly depending upon the family’s progress.
Other ways to assist the OHP family is to connect them to programs in Burke County. Some of these programs are First Time Home Owners Class through Olive Hill Community Economic Development, Circles and Career Coaching at WPCC for adults. For the children opportunities for summer camp and tutoring when needed.
Each family is required to create a Personal Development Plan (PDP) to achieve the goal of qualifying for a mortgage and purchasing a home after 3 years in the Open Hearts Place Program. This plan can include: increasing work skills via training and further education opportunities; analyzing the family’s current income, living expenses and debt leading to increased savings, and developing a workable budget that helps the family transition from Survival to Stable and eventually to Thriving status.
To assist the family in their Personal Development Plan we have created a Team of Allies. They are 1) a Case Manager to work with each family. This person is also an employee of Blue Ridge Community Action, 2) a volunteer who acts as a financial coach and 3) another volunteer who has professional experience in working with families in poverty for over 40 years in the Burke County area and who has expansive knowledge of agencies and services to assist the families. Each family is required to meet with the Allies at least once a month to review progress on the PDP. At times, it is necessary to meet weekly or bi-weekly depending upon the family’s progress.
Other ways to assist the OHP family is to connect them to programs in Burke County. Some of these programs are First Time Home Owners Class through Olive Hill Community Economic Development, Circles and Career Coaching at WPCC for adults. For the children opportunities for summer camp and tutoring when needed.
Check out our video below which tells a little bit more about OHP and the stable homes we provide: