Open Hearth Inc

Programs: Financial management program - program to assist eligible individuals in building assets by providing a matched savings for program graduates to be used for home purchase, home repair, education, business, or car purchase. In addition, financial management and budget counseling programs are available to eligible individuals. The program also provides educational workshops throughout chester county on financial management, saving, retirement, education, grants and loans, home purchases and budgeting. Through their financial insight and resource management program (firm), open hearth assisted 341 households with budget counseling, credit repair, debt counseling and social service support, including many families receiving actual financial support for emergency needs. Through their family savings partner program (fsp) of asset building and matched savings, open hearth served 23 households, with 11 reaching their long-term goals of asset building. Over 210 people attended 37 free workshops on financial matters. Since 2001, 168 savers have graduated and purchased over $10. 8 million in assets.

housing program - program provided permanent housing subsidies for over 70 individuals and families who were experiencing homelessness and have a documented disability. This program also provides transitional housing that assists homeless families to secure and maintain permanent housing. Also provide affordable rental housing support, utility payments, and assists homeless chester county individuals who are seeking mental health treatment with short term assistance for hotel, motel, boarding house stays and security deposit loans. Open hearth served 210 households who were experiencing homelessness and attempting to engage in mental health treatment with short term rental assistance or security deposits through our gateway program. Open hearth served 8 families in our goal achievement program (gap) by providing rental subsidies and case management services to households who were homeless or at immediate risk of becoming homeless.

community building - organization supports specific tasks that build the capacity of society to meet the needs of those that it serves. The organization has taken a leadership position in the community regarding issues that pertain to housing, quality of life, stability, and empowerment. Our executive director co-chairs the cross system partnership in the greater phoenixville area that strives to reduce barriers to those experiencing homelessness. Open hearth is an active participant and collaborator in "decade to doorways" (d2d), chester county's 10 year plan to prevent and end homelessness, with several staff serving on d2d committees. Open hearth has created and published five editions of the popular "help book", a health and human services guide, as a resource for agencies, organizations and community members to connect their needs to area services. Open hearth also created and administers the phoenixville area resource network (parn), a monthly drop-in meeting attended by over 100 local social service agencies.

transportation - program assists persons who need transportation to work or medical care appointment by either accepting the donation of vehicles or assisting with transferring ownership to eligible individuals, or by providing a zero-interest car repair loan. The goal of car purchase was reestablished in our fsp program. Fifteen people started saving toward this goal and 3 graduated this fiscal year.