Dear friends, colleagues, advocates, and donors,
In 2020 we all faced challenges — particularly the most vulnerable among us. As you know, many families endured health issues, unemployment, and distrust in the services meant to protect them. With your help, House of Ruth was able to continue to be an advocate for those impacted by homelessness and domestic violence.
The pandemic disproportionately afflicted people of color, a large population that we serve. Some estimates indicate that quarantine mandates led to an increase in domestic violence and a decrease in reporting. Through strong leadership and your support, our housing programs were among the few to stay open and even accept 19 new clients throughout the pandemic. Our team supported families through difficult times or trauma and adapted to new ways of life such as social distancing, face masks, and online schooling. And we couldn’t have done it without you!
House of Ruth continues to serve clients through our 15 programs, each to keep survivors of trauma safe and supported. As many of our clients were laid off due to the pandemic, we paid 100% of their rent and provided other direct financial assistance for necessities such as groceries and car repairs. We worked to ensure that our clients remained in safe and stable locations, so they could continue to rebuild their lives.
With help from you and our generous community of supporters, House of Ruth successfully completed our first-ever capital project, raising just over $7 million and building a beautiful new childcare center to expand our Kidspace program. In 2021, we look forward to fully opening our new Kidspace, and welcoming children into the therapeutic learning environment.
We could tell you were stepping up your support — one way we knew was we tripled our funding raised on Giving Tuesday, to over $66,000. This would not be possible without your generous support.
House of Ruth made an impact on many families struggling with homelessness and domestic violence. One of our clients, Kenya*, came to House of Ruth with her children to flee an abusive situation and found safety and support at A New Way, our transitional housing for survivors of domestic violence. Upon arrival, our staff supported Kenya in identifying her goals and next steps. Kenya secured a great job with WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) and began working toward a savings goal, which she soon exceeded.
With help from our team, Kenya improved her credit score so she could purchase a more reliable car and secure an apartment, which she has turned into a beautiful home for her children. We have been honored to support and celebrate Kenya and other women in our community as they turn difficult circumstances into hope for the future.
Here’s to hoping 2021 is a smoother journey; regardless of what comes our way. We’re ready to continue to serve our community even and especially throughout the most difficult of times. Thank you, as always, for your continued support.
Happy New Year,
House of Ruth
*Name has been changed.