Jennifer Friend, the CEO of Project Hope Alliance, an Orange County-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of homelessness, has been selected to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative America and directly address the current issue of homelessness.
Established by President Bill Clinton, CGI uses the power of creative collaboration to find solutions for various problems and transform lives. By building partnerships between businesses, governments, and individuals, CGI aims to find solutions that last. During her time with CGI America, Friend aims to contribute to the environment of innovation and commitment by presenting the ideals behind her Hope for 500 rapid re-housing program that is currently operating within Project Hope Alliance and how the CGI Initiative allowing for PHA to provide the undereducated parents served with a high school diploma through an online program, supports the program’s ability to end family homelessness.
In the last two years, Project Hope Alliance has brought over 200 children and their families out of homelessness at an average cost of $1,500. The ultimate goal of Hope for 500 is to expand this success and gather enough momentum to move 500 children out of homelessness by the end of 2014. Friend is working to expand the number of children brought out of homelessness to 1,000 by 2015.
“Sharing the Hope for 500 program and our partnership with CGI will help us in our mission to end the cycle of homelessness one child at a time. With 28,000 homeless children in Orange County, it’s important to get this opportunity to discuss the critical role that under education plays in perpetuating the generational cycle of homelessness and adopt strategies to effectively address it,” said Friend.
For more information, visit cgiamerica.org.
