Hope House receives $288K grant to expand living options on Medford campus
This article originally appeared in the Rogue Valley Times
Author: James Sloan
Hope House in Medford is much closer to building a new apartment extension of its transitional living center thanks to a $287,650 grant from Grants Pass-based health care organization AllCare Health.
The apartments — seven studio units — will allow Hope House to better assist marginalized and unhoused members of the Rogue Valley community.
Jessica Espinoza walks through an apartment at The Salvation Army's Hope House in Medford April 26. Jamie Lusch / Rogue Valley Times
“It’s really been a dream that we can do this,” said Sharre Whitson, director of development for The Salvation Army Medford Chapter. “We put in the grant application and I got the call from Jennifer (Gustafson, AllCare Health's director of community engagement), and I was so thrilled to find out that they would give so generously at that amount. I mean, it covered almost a third of the entire campaign.”
Owned and operated by The Salvation Army Medford Chapter, Hope House provides a drug- and alcohol-free transitional living center for people in dire need of housing and structure. The facility offers 24/7 case-management and support-services employees and teaches residents basic life skills as they transition to stable living.
Why was Hope House chosen for the grant?
“They do it right and have been doing it for a very long time — it made sense,” Gustafson said. “They have a great success rate with not only getting people housed but also their employment rate: 85% of people who come through there end up gainfully long-term employed.”
Lauren Hafterson said she likes to express her gratitude to Hope House through art. Jamie Lusch / Rogue Valley Times
The grant coincides with AllCare’s pledge to give $2.7 million in 2024 to improve the health and wellbeing of all Southern Oregon communities.
The money will support the construction, expansion and renovation of those seven new homes, as well as provide funding for kitchenettes within each apartment and outdoor amenities around the new building such as picnic tables.
A kitchenette "just adds the extra learning life skills that are much needed,” said Maj. Jonnette Mulch, Salvation Army Medford Chapter staff member and Jackson County coordinator.
Sharre Whitson, left, director of development for The Salvation Army Medford Chapter, and Jennifer Gustafson, AllCare Health's director of community engagement. Photo courtesy of AllCare Health
Hope House staff aim to construct and finish the apartments sooner rather than later.
“The project is funded, we have an architect, and we are well on our way and hope to actually break ground shortly … Our goal is within 12 months to have it completely built and operational,” Whitson said. “We anticipate the entire project being just around $900,000, and so the funding from AllCare was tremendous.”
The apartment project received funding from other organizations in the community, including the city of Medford and the Carrico Family Foundation.
“We had an area that was perfect to expand, and we chose the studios because those are the ones that are most frequently occupied with the waitlist,” Whitson said.
She added that the apartments "will be adjacent to our current apartments and will flow nicely, and it will add seven studio units, more than doubling what we have now for studio units, which is very exciting.”
Beyond expanding the housing options, a primary focus for staff at Hope House is building a supportive community with multiple spaces to recreate and bond while going through transition.
“It’s so much more than a program here — it's really like a family,” said Lauren Hafterson, a Hope House resident. “I can’t really put into words the amount of gratitude I have, and the Hope House has really just extended my faith in myself and humanity.”
Hafterson came to Hope House in October 2023 and has since been able to open a bank account, earn money through a full-time job and continue to grow and relearn skills with the hope of living independently.
Hope House staff, AllCare Health representatives and other community members cut the ribbon on the apartment expansion project in April. Justin Briggs
The structure that Hope House provides and the support from staff in a loving environment are what appeal to her most, she said.
AllCare intends to continue supporting the Salvation Army Medford Chapter and its Hope House well into the future.
“For the next chapter, it would make sense to continue working with them and potentially finding long-term funding opportunities instead of one-time grant opportunities,” Gustafson said.
The Salvation Army Medford Chapter also has an advisory board made up of community and business leaders to look into future opportunities to aid unhoused members of the community in the Rogue Valley and beyond.
Maj. Randy Mulch of the Medford Chapter said, “They are helping us look at building a long-range plan, but it’s very evident right now in the face of homelessness, not just in our community but across the United States, that homelessness is an issue that we all need to work on together."
He added: “It’s about new starts, it’s about bringing hope to people — hence the name Hope House — and we’re just grateful that the community is helping us to support it and grow, because we can’t do it by ourselves."