Forkids Inc

Programs: With a mission to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for families and children, forkids (www. Forkidsva. Org) provides housing, education and critical services to homeless families across south hampton roads, virginia. Forkids served 1,164 people, including 710 children in its programs during fiscal year 2015. Our residential programs provided 85,115 bed-nights for homeless families. On average, forkids provided comprehensive services to more than 165 families and 350 children every day. Housing is provided through emergency shelter, rapid re-housing, rent subsidies and assistance and permanent supportive and transitional housing depending on the particular needs of a family. Critical services are made up of case management, mental health counseling, healthcare case management, job placement assistance, housing placement assistance and life skills education. In fy2015, 95% of families exiting a forkids housing program exited to permanent housing.

forkids' educational services expanded in fy2015 with a new in-school pilot program. Forkids reached 72 school age children who are not in a housing program. 85% of the 2nd through 5th graders who recievied tutoring from forkids advanced in their math assessments and 78% advanced in their reading assessment. In forkids' education and remedial programs overall, 92% of school-aged children who entered a forkids housing program received math and reading proficiency assessments within 30 days of entry. 91% of students who completed the school year while in a forkids program were promoted to the next grade level.

forkids also operates the regional housing crisis hotline as well as good mojo, a local thrift and distribution center for donated goods. The forkids regional housing crisis hotline fielded more than 22,152 calls for assistance in fy2015. The hotline assess callers for eligibility and connects families to a variety of community services. The crisis line services norfolk, chesapeake, suffolk, isle of wight county, southampton county, poquoson, hampton, portsmouth, newport news and virginia beach. Good mojo served as the distribution site for school supplies, holiday meals and christmas gifts for families in the community. In addition, good mojo operates as a thrift store to sell donated items and also provides needed items to families at no cost through out the year.