A house is structural: walls, a roof, a door. A home is emotional. It’s a table where homework gets done, a bed that’s yours and a morning routine you can count on.
That difference is at the heart of Homes of HOPE. Work on the property is underway, and when it’s finished, four single mothers and their children will each have a private home of their own in Broward County. It will be a place built around stability, dignity, belonging and a future.
Building the structure is only part of the work. Each home also needs to be furnished. Here’s a look at an ordinary day in a future Home of HOPE, and the pieces that will make it possible.
3:30 p.m. — Coming Home
School lets out, and a mother picks up her two kids. They step over the welcome mat and through their own front door. Backpacks drop, and shoes come off and go into a cabinet by the door, in a spot that will still be there tomorrow.
$84 buys a shoe storage cabinet that holds a whole family’s shoes and helps them settle in from the moment they walk through the door.
4:30 p.m. — Getting Dinner Started
Mom rolls the kitchen island into place, unfolds the countertop and starts chopping vegetables. The groceries are stocked in its cabinet, and the trash bin is tucked neatly inside. When dinner is done, the countertop folds down, and the island rolls back out of the way.
$170 buys a rolling kitchen island and pantry, adding counter space, storage and a home for groceries in a compact kitchen.
5:30 p.m. — Homework and Dinner
Her daughter spreads a math worksheet across the dining table while her son practices spelling words. When it’s time to eat, the homework goes away, and the family sits down to dinner together, the same way they will tomorrow night.
$185 buys an extendable dining table and chairs for four, with built-in storage. It’s a place for meals, homework and conversation.
7:30 p.m. — Winding Down
After a long day, the kids curl up on the sofa with a book. There’s room to stretch out, laugh and simply be kids. If the family ever needs an extra bed, the sofa pulls out into one.
$950 buys a sleeper sofa, giving a family a comfortable place to relax and room for one more when they need it.
8:30 p.m. — Bedtime
Teeth are brushed, and the kids climb the stairs to their bunk beds. Each step doubles as a drawer, so every child has a place for their clothes, books and treasures.
$700 buys a bunk bed with built-in storage stairs so two children can each fall asleep in a bed of their own.
7:00 a.m. — A Fresh Start
Morning comes, and the family gets ready at their own sink, in their own bathroom, on their own schedule. Toothbrushes and hairbrushes have a home in the vanity drawers, and fresh towels are stacked within reach. Mom heads to work, the kids head to school, and everyone knows exactly where they’ll come home to tonight.
$410 buys a bathroom vanity and sink with storage so families can start each day with dignity.
$95 buys over-the-toilet storage, putting towels and toiletries within easy reach in a small bathroom.
Fewer Pieces, But Smarter Ones
Every Home of HOPE is designed to make the most of a compact space. That’s why each piece of furniture works twice as hard. The bunk bed stairs are also dressers, the dining table has storage built in, the kitchen island rolls away when it isn’t needed, and the sofa becomes a bed.
We’re not just decorating. We’re designing homes where a family has room to live, grow and thrive.
Why an Ordinary Day Matters
For many families, losing a home happens suddenly. A job loss, a medical emergency or an unexpected rent increase can upend a stable life almost overnight, leaving a mother searching for a safe place to keep her children together.
Homes of HOPE gives families the time and space to regain their footing. The same table, the same beds and the same front door, day after day, mean a mother can focus on her work, her savings and the next home her family will move into.
Help Turn a House into a Home
Choose a moment you’d like to make possible, or give toward furnishing an entire home. About $5,000 furnishes one Home of HOPE from top to bottom, including beds, a sofa, a dining table, kitchen appliances, bedding, dishes and more. A gift of $20,000 furnishes all four.
Gifts of household items are welcome too, such as bedding and pillows, towels, lamps, area rugs, dishes, cookware and welcome mats. These are the finishing touches that make a house feel like home.
Visit our donations page to make a gift or learn more about how you can help.
Every family who walks through these doors will hear the same message: You belong here. You matter. You are worthy of hope.