The Last Program Our Families Will Ever Need

Acres of Hope is a spiritually based renewal center serving homeless women with children by providing them with a home and an environment of structured programming. Located in the beautiful Sierra Foothills, Acres of Hope’s unique approach allows residents to live onsite for up to two years while staff and volunteers invest heavily in their lives by providing encouragement, practical life-skills training, job skills, mentoring and spiritual direction.

Recidivism rates among the homeless are high and we want to reduce re-occurring homelessness through a balanced approach that addresses the needs of the whole person. A balanced approach looks at the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of our residents and includes a heart of acceptance with accountability, and extending grace with guidance.

Without a balanced approach, it is only a matter of time before negative thought patterns and habits rise to the surface and reverse any progress made. As a result, we are committed to the healing process of each individual that will support their renewal process from the inside out.

““I never knew love like this existed in this world.””
— spoken by a young mother after 90 days at Acres of Hope

Why we exist

HOMELESS MOTHERS

  • 92% have experienced severe physical or sexual assault in their lifetime.
  • 63% of homeless mothers have been violently abused by an intimate male partner. 27% required medical treatment.
  • 44% lived outside their homes at some point during their childhood. Of these women, 20% were placed in foster care.
  • 36% have experienced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a rate three times higher than other women.
  • 66% of homeless women were violently abused by a childhood caretaker or other adult in their household before reaching age 18.
  • 43% of homeless women were sexually molested as children.
  • Homeless mothers have ulcers at four times the rate of other women.

HOMELESS CHILDREN

  • 34% of school-aged children who have been homeless have lived apart from their Families
  • Almost 25% of homeless children have witnessed acts of violence within their family.
  • 62% of formerly homeless, extremely low-income children (ages 8 to 17 years old) have been exposed to violence. For children over 12, the rate of exposure to violence climbs to 83%.
  • Homeless children suffer from emotional or behavioral problems that interfere with learning at almost three times the rate of other children.
  • Homeless children between 6 and 17 years old struggle with high rates of mental health problems. For example, 47% have problems such as anxiety, depression, or withdrawal, compared to 18% of other school-age children.