HopePHL is thrilled and thankful to announce that William Penn Foundation has generously awarded us a $345,000 grant to expand mental health services for young children and their families. Our plans include hiring additional staff, providing training, expanding work hours and supporting the licensure process for current staff, and organizing community workshops. As we help those in our programs navigate obstacles and significant life changes, mental health serves as the essential foundation for our families to use the tools provided and create happy, fulfilling lives.

Vanessa Ingram, our Lead Youth and Young Adult Therapist in the Behavioral Health program, highlights an important aspect that many may not realize: the impact of fostering positive mental health practices from a young age. “Research has helped us understand the critical development that occurs from birth to age 5. With this expanded focus, we will be able to equip families with the necessary tools during these early stages of life, which will support resilience and provide a solid foundation for managing life's difficulties,” Vanessa explains.

William Penn Foundation’s support of our program will provide mental health services for 125 families over two years. This grant also will allow our behavioral health team to expand their unique skills. “This is an excellent opportunity for our mental health clinicians to integrate evidence-based interventions, build trusting relationships, and a strong therapeutic alliance to carry out HopePHL's mission,” HopePHL therapist Kimeesha Reed-Walker says.

​HopePHL Managing Director of Adult & Family Services, Erica Makowski, expressed the shared gratitude across the organization, “we are incredibly grateful to the William Penn Foundation for this opportunity to expand mental health services. This funding allows us to further support families and communities while working alongside dedicated staff who make a profound impact in the community.”

Check out this month's edition of the HopePHL Perspective, our Policy newsletter to learn how you can help support getting more funds to support students facing homelessness, why collecting data on infants-toddlers experiencing homelessness is important, and upcoming events!

Dates to know: 

• April 2024 is projected to be the last fully-funded month 
• February 7th at 11:59 P.M. is the last day to enroll in the program. All enrollment for the program will be frozen starting February 8th. 

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The official last fully-funded month will be announced in late February. ACP households will receive further instruction after this confirmation. Providers must offer additional opt-in to continue service if the consumer had not already been an active customer prior to applying the ACP benefit or if the ACP benefit covers the entire cost of a customer’s bill. 

Notifications To Look For: 

• The FCC will announce the last fully funded month of ACP 60 days prior to the end of that month. (Example: April 2024 is the currently forecasted to be the last month, so the announcement would come on March 1, 2024 if this estimate is correct.) 
• Providers are required to give 3 separate notifications to customer in writing: 

1) January 25, 2024: Must state the possibility of ACP end and potential impact on their future bills 
2) 15 days after FCC announcement of last fully-funded month of ACP 
3) During the customer’s last bill or billing cycle using the ACP benefit 
*Provider Notifications 2 & 3 must state the ending date of ACP and date of the last bill it will be applied to, bill amount without the ACP benefit OR statement that the customer will be subjected to undiscounted rates per term conditions, and give them the ability to change their service and/or to opt out continuing service at the end of ACP. 

HopePHL’s Men’s Wellness Event is held in June each year, in recognition of Men’s Health Awareness Month, at the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Spring Garden Street. This year’s event – the eighth annual – featured blood pressure education and screenings and Stop the Bleed program information. The American Red Cross demonstrated proper CPR techniques. West Philadelphia Promise Neighborhood sponsored a Promise Village that included literacy groups, arts and crafts and a demonstration of healthy smoothie blending from Farm Explorer and Greener Partners. Community Legal Services and Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity were also onsite to offer services.

HopePHL™ was recently awarded a $250,000 Housing for Everyone grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®. HopePHL™ is one of 37 non-profit organizations selected from more than 450 applicants to receive a Housing for Everyone grant as part of the TD Charitable Foundation's signature grant initiative that has helped support organizations that are focused on providing affordable housing and affordable housing services since 2005.

​As individuals and families across the country struggle with inflation and an exponential rise in rental costs, affordable housing providers face increased hardship given the growing demand for affordable rental units and emergency rental assistance.
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The grant will support HopePHL’s homelessness prevention work, which assists people at risk of homelessness in Philadelphia to remain in their homes and avoid emergency shelter. Through case management and direct financial assistance grants, the agency’s program provides West Philadelphia families with support to overcome a housing crisis. Since its launch in July 2020, HopePHL's program has successfully delivered these services to 355 families and has provided over $880,000 in emergency rental assistance grants.