What do the homeless need? A place to call home.
We started Valley Housing Partners (VHP) to answer the question. VHP’s purpose is to provide a place to call home for homeless families in San Gabriel Valley.
VHP was incorporated on April 9, 2009 and received its 501 c3 status in 2010.
At first, we considered building and operating a homeless shelter for families in San Gabriel Valley. We recognized right away a couple of major problems. NIMBYism and the number of years the project requires were more than we wanted to handle. The organization scaled back its ambitions and simplified its approach. Today, every time we raise $6,000 in donations, we find a family to help and provide them a $500 a month subsidy for 12 months.
Homeless families often bear the stigma attached to being homeless. It is unfortunate that our society often equate homelessness with lack of character. The reason families lose their homes has more to do with our society’s economic and social structure. Job loss, medical bills, domestic violence and lack of affordable housing cause homelessness.
When VHP helps a family move to an apartment neighbors and people in the community need not know that they were homeless. They can carry on their lives without the stigma. Furthermore, with a roof over their heads and a safe place to stay, the children thrive in school.
VHP works with social agencies and churches to provide support services. We rely on the generosity of friends, families, churches, foundations and business organizations for donations.
Our goal is to help at least 100 families in San Gabriel Valley.
As of 2020, VHP helped 16 families. Below is a list of our clients. We excluded last names to protect their privacy.
2011 – Jennifer (one boy)
2011 – Erica (4 girls and one boy)
2012 – Andrea (1 girl and 4 boys)
2013 – Arlene (one boy, one girl)
2013 – Martha (3 girls, two boys)
2013 – Nedra (2 boys, 2 girls)
2014 – Veronica (one girl)
2014 – Tamara (2 girls, 1 boy)
2014 – Clarissa (3 girls, one boy)
2014 – Jillian (one boy, one girl)
2015 – Jana and Bob (one boy)
2015 – Teresa (2 boys)
2015 – Cory and Ashley (2 boys, 2 girls)
2016 – Jeannie (two girls, one boy)
2017 – Rosiland (2 boys)
2020 – Nancy and Anthony (one boy, one girl)
2020 – Kinga (2 boys)
2021 – Stephanie (2 boys, 1girl)
2022 – Aleandrea (2 boyes, 1 girl)
2023 – Mariel (2 girls, 2 boys)
2023 – Adrianna (1 girl)