Homes of Hope: The 5 Benefits of a Home

Jonathan Norton November 20, 2019

The vision of Homes of Hope is to bring justice and compassion to Mazatlan’s most impoverished people.

In Mexico, many families build their own houses with little to no assistance and no technical skill. They add to their homes whenever they have extra money; as a result, it can takes years to make any significant progress, and the resulting structure is neither safe nor durable.

Poverty and homelessness prevents a family from working toward a brighter future – all their current resources go to fixing their house or trying to solve problems caused by not having a house. By partnering with Homes of Hope, you can meet a family’s current physical needs while also equipping them with the tools they need to break the poverty cycle.

Economic Impact

A debt-free home can leverage a family out of poverty. Instead of using extra income to build a house or add on to an existing home, family members can purchase school supplies, buy healthier food, or even invest in their own small business.

Educational Impact

Homeless youth are 87% more likely to drop out of school than their non-homeless peers. By building a house for a family in need, Homes of Hope gives students a better chance at academic success. Younger children who receive a home now have a safe, healthy environment to promote healthy brain development, while older children experience less stress and are have a greater mental and emotional capacity to focus on school work.

Health Impact

Families living in overcrowded shelters are susceptible to disease. Children sleeping on dirt floors are likely to develop asthma, parasites, chronic diarrhea, and anemia. Health problems like these perpetuate
homelessness – an adult with severe health problems cannot hold a job and a sick child cannot go to school.

By building a home with Homes of Hope, you are giving a family control over their health and the health of their children. Four sturdy walls, a roof, and a concrete floor can mean the difference between continual poverty or a promising future.

Social and Emotional Impact

Homeless children often struggle with anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Their day-to-day lives are full of extra challenges, from not having enough money for school supplies to not having access to showers and laundry facilities. Furthermore, a child without a home is more vulnerable to drug and alcohol addiction.

Homes of Hope has seen firsthand how having a house can transform the life of a child– when strangers come from across the world to build them a home, they start to believe that miracles do happen and their lives are worth something after all.

Spiritual Impact

Families without a place to live feel powerless. Poverty traps them in mental and spiritual darkness; they are often unwilling or unable to trust in God because they believe their situation is hopeless. Our goal is not to build a home and leave, but to show families that real change is possible, and walk hand-in-hand with them to meet their physical and spiritual needs. Through constant home visits, Bible studies, and development classes, we seek to build long-lasting relationships with these families and show them the love of God. Our goal is simple: bring the hope of Jesus, who transforms, renews, and redeems.