Hannah House Mission:
“Housing young women 15-29 who are experiencing crisis situations in their lives, through a structured home environment to overcome past behaviors and issues allowing them to become productive citizens in our state and nation.”
OVERVIEW OF HANNAH HOUSE
Hannah House is a residential facility for pregnant and troubled young women between the ages of 15 and 29. The house provides a structured program for each girl, including training in the practical aspects of living, counseling and spiritual help, as well as education and career guidance. We house our residents free of charge during their pregnancy or time of crisis and are a positive influence in their life when they need it most.
Organization
Hannah House opened September 8, 1997 after many years of planning and preparation. We are recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3). While riding the storm out of 9-11 funding cuts, we merged with another non-profit organization, Tree of Life Preventive Health Maintenance, Inc. In doing this we have strengthened our financial base and added programs to our already strong residential program. By merging we have added abstinence education, drug and tobacco education and prevention programs that train our residents in a proactive approach rather than a reactive approach. We are reaching our community through the public school system and local youth organizations in abstinence education, drug and tobacco prevention to provide a better quality of life in our community.
Funding
We are funded by donations from individuals, corporations, churches, civics groups and foundations in our community. DONATE HERE
Purpose
Our purpose is to offer these young women a place of refuge in a warm home-like atmosphere where we can help them work on the issues in their lives that brought them to Hannah House. We want to help them heal and become productive caring individuals who are able to care for their babies or to help them in making a decision to place their baby for adoption.
Program
The average stay for a young woman at Hannah House is six months. During this time each resident experiences one-on-one counseling, life skills training, educational courses, budgeting and finance training, and preparation for the work force through job training, interview and resume instruction. In addition, residents who are pregnant have adoption counseling, parenting, and childbirth classes. After the young women have been in Hannah House sixty days, they may begin to work or go to school outside the home. Hannah House collaborates with many staffing agencies in Fort Smith, one of which trains the young women to be Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) free of charge. Hannah House also collaborates with the Adult Education Center where young women may obtain their G.E.D. if needed. After six months if the young women need additional help they may enter the transitional program, with housing located across the street from Hannah House. They may stay up to two years. In this program they are required to pay $150 a month rent, their utilities, groceries and other personal expenses. They are required to save at least 10% of their income. With the intense training and structure, the young women become productive, caring individuals who have the opportunity to succeed in life.
Please visit the Hannah House Website.
