vision

To break the cycle of poverty by creating wealth through home ownership, while strengthening families and communities

Mission

To provide homes supported by programming, in partnership with the community, to promote family self-sufficiency.

Our approach

What We Do: Open Hearts Place provides affordable temporary housing opportunities for working families with the goal of helping them achieve financial stability and improve their quality of life. The home they live in while being with Open Hearts Place is only a small portion of our program.

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”-Frederick Douglas, Civil Rights Leader

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing hImself.”-Leo tolstoy, Writer

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“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing hImself.”-Leo tolstoy, Writer

How We Are Different: Open Hearts Place is set apart from other affordable housing options because our programming is designed to take participants from needing subsidized housing to improving their financial situation and creating generational wealth. Our goal is for participants to become financially self-sufficient and purchase their own home by the end of three years. This will take a lot of work on their part, including a sacrifice of time and a willingness to learn new skills and create new habits.

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”-Frederick Douglas, Civil Rights Leader

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What That Means: Forming new habits is no easy task. Studies show it can take anywhere from a few weeks to nearly a year! During the journey, Open Hearts Place is going to be a cheerleader, coach, and teammate. Participants will find that we will be with them every step of the way by supporting them in various forms. Participants will meet with us at least twice a month, where we will help them identify goals and steps to achieve them. These will not just be financial goals either. Financial growth rarely happens without personal growth, and to find out what is important to individual growth we will use a whole-person approach to recognizing and reaching goals.

"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything."-George Bernard Shaw, Nobel Prize Winner

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"We understand that none of us are wired for change, but we cannot over emphasize the necessity of change to reach your goals."-Open Hearts Place

What We Ask from Participants: We are excited to bring opportunities that can create positive changes for families, but we want to reinforce that this will take some work that may not always align with how a participant might be feeling on a given day. It is important to success that participants communicate with us and do their best to meet the expectations of the program. It will take a willingness to develop new relationships and a strong commitment to change.​

"We understand that none of us are wired for change, but we cannot over emphasize the necessity of change to reach your goals."-Open Hearts Place

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Hear the testimony from one of our participants!

"I think about Dr. Seuss: 'Oh, the places you'll go!' That's how I feel when I think about Open Hearts!"-Open Hearts Place Participant

Types of services

Case Management

Participants regularly meet with a case manager to discuss goals and progress, working together to develop and implement their Personal Development Plan (PDP). This case management is critical for promoting family self-sufficiency and building bridges between the participant and community partners, services, and opportunities. The participant will submit monthly documentation and attend scheduled meetings with case manager, financial coach, and other community partners,  in support of individual goals and needs. Successful case management relies on the participant to follow through on commitments and be transparent about where they are in the process.  

Financial Counseling

Since a goal of OHP's program is to help families attain self-sufficiency with an eye toward homeownership, financial counseling is a critical part of our program to address areas like budgeting, debt management, and financial planning. This financial counseling aspect prioritizes partnership with other community agencies:

• A mortgage lender helps participants submit a mortgage application to identify baseline readiness for obtaining a home loan.
• A Credit Coach assists participants learn how to improve their credit.
• Burke County United Way's Financial Empowerment Program helps build financial management skills through regular meetings to provide guidance and support developing and sticking to a monthly spending plan.
• Blue Ridge Community Action offers a Financial Literacy Course through Circles, which our participants are required to complete.
• A local agency offers a First Time Home Buyers Class that not only prepares our participants to become home owners, but unlocks funding for downpayment assistance.

Skills development and education

OHP's program is not one-size-fits-all. Instead, we seek to help each participant and family reach their own goals and grow in all aspects of their life. Many participants may find their step toward self-sufficiency involves identifying new career or education pathways, so OHP helps participants access programs designed to enhance skills, knowledge, and earning potential, including but not limited to:

• Vocational training: Learn new skills or improve existing ones to qualify for better-paying jobs
• Continuing education: Pursue additional education or certifications to advance their career
• Career counseling: Receive guidance on identifying career paths, writing resumes, and interviewing effectively
• Employment workshops: Participate in workshops focused on job search strategies, networking, and interview preparation

Allies

OHP often says our goal is not just to take people through a structured program but help them build a supportive community. In addition to connecting participants with community partners, we provide each participant with someone who walks alongside them to support and advocate. We like the term, Ally, because it identifies what these people are for each participant: someone who is there to support, advocate, celebrate, and encourage each participant! Click here to see about applying to be an Ally!