Safe & Stable Homes: Rooted & Rising
Safe and stable housing is more than a phrase; it’s a basic need. When this need can’t be met – rent hikes and low or loss of income, uncooperative property management and clean, safe environments, or other factors outside of a family’s control – finding a place to call home can be a daunting, never-ending search.
“Before I discovered Rooted & Rising, finding safe and stable housing was very hard because I had five young children,” said Phillis. “We bounced around from apartment to apartment, duplex to duplex.”
United Way-funded Rooted & Rising has a supportive housing program that consists of 72 total units, a combination of 2- and 3-bedroom apartments and town homes, offering high quality, stable, and low-income housing to families at or below 60% of the area median income. A housing team monitors each household’s progress and well-being indicators, offering intervention to help solve challenges that can lead to the loss of stable housing.
“At its core, we’re trying to build community,” William Schmitt, Executive Director of Rooted & Rising Washington Park said. “A community that people want to be a part of and remain a part of.”
That community extends far beyond their housing program. Rooted & Rising’s mission is to build a nurturing, thriving community where all people feel welcome, supported, and a sense of belonging. Neighbors come together for block cleanups, social gatherings, and to utilize the organization’s early childhood education center and food pantry.
“My life has been so much more stable over the past five years,” said Phillis. “In fact, it’s been more stable in the past five years than it’s been in my entire lifetime."
Your support of United Way’s Safe & Stable Homes initiative has helped Rooted & Rising build a vibrant community. Your continued support will help more families, like Phillis’, succeed in a safe, stable place they can call home.