LEXINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that the Hope Center has been designated as an EnVision Center.
EnVision Centers offer HUD-assisted families access to support services that can help them achieve self-sufficiency, which will make scarce federal resources more readily available to a greater number of households waiting for HUD assistance.
The program is based on the principle that financial support alone won’t solve poverty. Intentional and collective efforts across a diverse set of organizations are needed to implement a holistic approach that builds lasting self-sufficiency.
“The Hope Center and Lexington community are to be congratulated for the selection of the Hope EnVision Center as the fourth such Center in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to receive this prestigious distinction,” said Denise Cleveland-Leggett, HUD Southeast Region Administrator. “EnVision Centers serve as platforms of hope and opportunity by providing much-needed supportive services that help families achieve self-sufficiency, upward mobility and their version of the American Dream.”
EnVision Centers will provide communities with a centralized hub for support in four areas:
- Economic Empowerment: Designed to improve the economic sustainability of people living in HUD-assisted housing by empowering them with opportunities to improve their economic outlook.
- Educational Advancement: Seeks to bring educational opportunities directly to HUD-assisted housing and includes partnering with public and private organizations that approach education in non-traditional ways on non-traditional platforms.
- Health and Wellness: Designed to improve access to health outcomes by individuals and families living in HUD-assisted housing.
- Character and Leadership: Designed to enable all individuals and families living in HUD-assisted housing, especially young people, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens by encouraging participation in volunteer and mentoring opportunities.
“The holistic and collaborative philosophy of EnVision Centers mirrors the Hope Center’s approach of providing refuge, access to individualized services and connections to permanent housing resources for people experiencing or at risk of becoming homeless,” said Janice James, interim executive director of the Hope Center. “By utilizing this strategy and working with many community and corporate partners, we are able to improve the well-being and self-sufficiency of the hundreds of clients we serve across our community.”
The Hope Center is the first EnVision Center in Lexington. In Kentucky, the other centers are located in Louisville, Bowling Green and Henderson.
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