Nestled in the streets of Old Towne Orange sits a large, beautiful, craftsman-style home that otherwise seems a little out of place amidst the neighborhood’s duplex units and crowded residential streets. From the street, you might never know that within this home, God is moving in powerful ways. It truly is a House of Hope.
Providing affordable housing for single women and mothers with children, House of Hope has been a pillar of Orange County Rescue Mission since 1994. At House of Hope, adult residents are either job hunting or employed. During their time at the House, they receive job training, parent training, life skills training, anger management training and more, all within a safe and supportive Christian community.
Some House of Hope residents are women that have graduated from the Village of Hope program and are looking for a transitional next step. This is the case for Tiffany and her son.
Sober for three years following an unrelenting and debilitating 27-year drug addiction, Tiffany thanked God every day for leading her to Orange County Rescue Mission. A graduate of the Village of Hope program, Tiffany was looking for the next step forward. She was living self-sufficiently, without drugs or government assistance, and she had a great job.
However, her years of reckless living had taken a toll on her credit, and it was impossible for her to find an affordable apartment in a decent neighborhood for herself and her 11-year-old son. No one would accept her as a tenant.
“Housing is so expensive,” she notes. “There was no place that I could afford.” She also didn’t want to backpedal, and wanted to learn more about housing, credit and necessary steps to continue their new life. This made House of Hope the perfect fit for them as they continued to move forward on their journey to self-sufficiency.
“The House of Hope was the best place for me,” Tiffany says. “Not only do I have a great place to live with my son, I have the time to re-establish my credit so that my son and I can move into another home soon.”
He was recently returned to her care and Tiffany is committed to providing for them both. “My credit score is going up, I’m putting money into savings, and I’m willing to rely on God.” She is thankful for the community surrounding her at House of Hope, where she is encouraged and held accountable for her choices. “We pray for each other.”
Tiffany treasures the experience of living at House of Hope, among a communal group of individuals from similar circumstances who together are learning to be strong women of God, who enjoy living responsibly!
