NEWS & EVENTS

What’s Happening at Solid Ground

Homework Starts with Home (HSWH) Day 1 Program: What our program meant for a family of 10

Our Homework Starts with Home (HSWH) Day 1 program offers families with school-age children rapid rehousing in Washington County. This means we provide move-in assistance and monthly rental assistance, with the goal that families pay full rent within 12-24 months. The program provides educational supports for children, and other person-centered services designed to help families achieve housing and economic stability. Children can stay in their same school thereby increasing stability and creating positive outcomes at home and in school.

HSWH Day 1 funds were crucial to a multi-generational family of 10 who lost everything in a housefire. They were staying in a shelter and trying hard to remain together. Their barrier to finding housing was occupancy limits that wouldn’t allow their whole family to remain together.

Mom had a full-time job at Walmart and Dad was looking for work. The HSWH program manager intervened with the shelter where they were living and approached the board of directors for an extension. The shelter granted an extension so that the family could stay there another 30 days.

The Solid Ground HSWH team got to work calling properties they knew and looking everywhere for housing. With just three days to spare, the HSWH coordinator received a call from a property manager. He said that he would be able to house the family in two separate three-bedroom apartments, but in the same complex. The family moved in four days later. Within a week, Dad found a job. The family was able to stay together and start addressing school and work challenges.

2022 Statistics

  • In 2022, the program served 56 adults and children (13 families).

At Solid Ground we create opportunities for housing stability, increased economic stability, educational advancement, and improved health and wellness. Committed to the ‘Housing First’ philosophy, Solid Ground moves people out of homelessness and into housing first, then provides person-centered, holistic support and services essential for long-term stability.

About Solid Ground

Solid Ground is an award-winning Minnesota nonprofit whose proven, holistic approach helps families build the strong foundations they need to emerge from homelessness into a brighter future. Through safe, affordable housing and innovative supportive programming, Solid Ground helps families break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for the next generation.

At the heart of Solid Ground is the belief that housing stability is fundamental to the healthy development of children and to a family’s ability to be contributing members of the community. Solid Ground currently runs eight programs in the suburban Ramsey and Washington Counties housing nearly 570 women, men and children annually. Our mission is to prevent and end homelessness for families with children in the communities we serve through housing, resources, and opportunity.