Partners We Love: Housing Opportunities for Women
We love to give back to organizations in our home community of Chicago and one group we are particularly proud to support is Housing Opportunities for Women.
What is Housing Opportunities for Women?
Housing Opportunities for Women (also known as HOW) is a local leader in permanent solutions to homelessness.
Through prevention strategies; expanded, affordable, supportive housing; and individualized support services they have helped thousands take back their lives. HOW operates under the Housing First Model, which ensures that individuals experiencing homelessness are housed as quickly as possible, and then provided with tools for success and self-sufficiency.
HOW was an early proponent of the Housing First model and is now the third largest provider of permanent supportive housing in Chicago with over 600 units across the city. Their work has evolved and now pairs housing with a broad array of prevention and supportive services helping empower our clients toward lifelong self-sufficiency.
Ultimately, their mission is to empower individuals and families to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.
What have they done to date?
In 2019, HOW served 1,336 clients across Chicagoland, offering housing and services. The individuals and families served by HOW have been exposed to trauma, poverty, and violence. They include those living with HIV/AIDS, those with a chronic or mental health issue, and youth aging out of the foster care system. Because of HOW’s extensive services and one-on-one assistance model, all clients are provided the individualized support they need to thrive.
If you need a statistic - 99% of HOW's clients in permanent supportive housing maintained housing for 12 months or exited to permanent housing within 12 months of coming to HOW.
How can I help?
If you would like to help out HOW, visit their website for all the ways to contribute - you could become a monthly donor, make a gift of stock, become an event sponsor or more. Last month, Meliora Cleaning Products made an in-kind donation of All-Purpose Home Cleaner and Laundry Powder to help support their efforts. We invite you to help out, too!
Meliora Cleaning Products donates to HOW as part of our commitment to donating 2% of annual sales revenue to sustainability-focused causes and organizations. We strive for 1% of our annual commitment to go back to our local community and helping make Chicago a better place.