Hub of Hope

The Hub of Hope began in January 2011 as part of the Philadelphia Winter Initiative—a city wide program to open more spaces during the coldest months of the year. The Hub opened each winter from January through April for a few hours each day. An important purpose of the Hub of Hope was to meet the City’s most vulnerable residents where they were—namely, in the Suburban Station Concourse. The original Hub of Hope was roughly 900 square feet, located in a former salon store front. In the summer of 2017, Project HOME began conversations with SEPTA and the City of Philadelphia, and 6 months later, the Hub opened as a year-round program on January 31, 2018.

The Hub of Hope offers a safe place where people who are experiencing homelessness can enjoy a warm cup of coffee, take a shower, wash their laundry, and speak to peers or resource coordinators and ultimately, begin the process of finding a permanent home. In addition to social services, the Hub of Hope offers a range of health care services, including—primary medical care, behavioral health care, and reproductive health services.

Daily services include:
Resource Coordination (Case Management)
Coffee Station
Showers (6 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.)
Laundry (6 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.)
Transportation to Shelter with CATCH
The Living Room

The best way to get involved and get to know the Hub of Hope better is to visit the Project HOME’s website and find a volunteer opportunity that best suits you! Head to projecthome.org/volunteer to sign up to volunteer, to give, or read about the impact of Project HOME on the Philadelphia community.

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Head inside for more information, then check below for what's next:

Alberto Alvarez

Oh no! You forgot! Quick, check your pockets. When you were released, you were given an appointment card. But in all of the hustle and bustle, you never checked to see when you have to report to Philadelphia Probation and Parole. Did you miss your appointment? If not, it’s probably a good idea to walk over to their facility and get your bearings. The address should be on the card.

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

1. Do you know what the difference is between probation and parole?
2. Are all returning citizens required to be on probation or parole?
3. What restrictions/requirements might you expect as someone on probation or parole?

Bret Boone

While you are at the Hub of Hope, you bump into a young man, Bill. Bill is wearing a white, cut-off t-shirt, and a coffee-stained Phillies cap. He asks you for a cigarette as you strike up a conversation. He has been in and out of the city’s shelters for the past three years. “Without a decent job,” he tells you, “it’s impossible to move forward.”

Returning citizens often say that a job is one of the first things that they look for when they are released. While you were incarcerated, you worked as much as you could. But it has been a long time since you had to pass out your resume or sit through an interview. Bill tells you that he’s been to a work program that helps returning citizens at Suburban Station. You don’t know where that is, but Bill says you “can’t miss it” and points you in the right direction.

While you are walking there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

What challenges do you think that you are going to face in finding and keeping a job?
Do you have any ideas about what jobs are most widely available to returning citizens?

Christopher Caine

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

Derek Dodd

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

Erik Elkins

Day One is over, but the challenge of reentry is only just beginning. You have found a place to sleep and eat for the next 30 days at Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission. You connected with medical services at Project HOME’s Hub of Hope. You know where to go when it is time to check in with your P.O., and you have looked into the vocational support offered at at JEVS and CareerLink. Now it is time to rest, because you will have to take to the city streets bright and early tomorrow morning. What do you think you should work on next?

Are you prescribed any medication, and have you been taking it since your release? Do you know where you can go to find a Primary Care provider, or how you will pay for the visit? How’s your mental health? Do you have any job leads yet? Don’t let the “to-do” list overwhelm you, but understand that you still have a lot of work to do.

As you head back to the Day One Challenge reflection at Tenth Presbyterian Church, take some time to reflect upon the following questions with your group:

What surprised you the most about the Day One Challenge today? Was anything more difficult than you anticipated?
Knowing what you know now, what do you think is the greatest challenge facing returning citizens in Philadelphia?
Redemption Housing’s vision is to provide returning citizens with transitional housing, mentoring relationships, and support as they work towards independent living. If you were a resident in one of Redemption Housing’s programs, how do you think their volunteers would have been able to help you today?

Frederick Foreman

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

Gregory Gadsden

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

Henry Holmes

While you are walking there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

What challenges do you think that you are going to face in finding and keeping a job?
Do you have any ideas about what jobs are most widely available to returning citizens?

Jeremiah Jones

As you head back to the Day One Challenge reflection at Tenth Presbyterian Church, take some time to reflect upon the following questions with your group:

Karl Kolinski

You haven’t been feeling very well over the past few days and have chalked it up to anxiety and hunger. But now you have a cough. Have you been wearing a mask today? If you can find a bed, you’re going to be sleeping in a shelter tonight with maybe dozens of other men. What if they don’t let you stay because of the cough? Outreach mentioned that Project HOME gives away free COVID-19 Rapid Tests at their drop in center in the SEPTA concourse, underneath the Municipal Services Building. They might be able to help and answer a few questions, if you can find them!

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:
People experiencing homlessness and returning citizens contract COVID-19 at a higher rate than the general population.

1. What are some reasons why they might be at risk?

2. Where would you go if you knew you had COVID-19 but had nowhere to sleep tonight?

3. In what other ways do you think that COVID-19 might present challenges for returning citizens?

Michael Mastellone

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

Nicholas Neary

ANicholas Neary

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

Patrick Pillman

One of your first priorities is to find somewhere to sleep tonight. When you arrived back in Philadelphia, someone handed you a “Where to Turn” pamphlet in the SEPTA terminal. Take a look at the pamphlet. Does it include any information about area shelters? Because it’s a Saturday morning, your options might be limited. You don’t have a cell phone yet, so you can’t call around. Do any of the shelter options catch your eye?

Now you also realize that you’re getting hungry. Very hungry. People in your position usually have a few options. They might panhandle for spare change or a bite to eat outside of the local sandwich shop, or they might use the “Where to Turn” guide to find a local soup kitchen or food pantry. Many soup kitchens are closed on weekends. Perhaps when you arrive, you can ask the shelter if they have any suggestions.

Pick a shelter that houses men, and visit there next. Hopefully, the shelter can give you a place to stay until you are able to find a more long-term solution. Even better would be a meal to hold you over too.

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

Do you have any fears about sleeping in a shelter? What if the shelter is crowded and you have to risk heat exhaustion outside?
What would you say are the main causes of homelessness? Why?
Have you ever been inside a homeless shelter? Tell the group about your experiences.
How many more stops can you make before you need food and water?

Ralph Reed

While you are heading there, take some time to talk through the following questions with your group:

Salvador Salas

What’s next? You need to get an ID but have no idea where to start. You need new clothes to wear. You want to look for work, but what phone number should you list on your resume? Where can you get a phone? With so many things to accomplish over the next few weeks, you could use some help from someone who knows how to navigate the systems. Someone handed you a flyer this morning for JEVS Human Services. If they’re open on a Saturday, maybe they can help.

If you had to prioritize housing, medical care, and employment in your first few weeks back from incarceration, what would you focus on first and why?

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