[Press Release] Project HOME Celebrates Grand Opening of Gloria Casarez Residence on May 14

Project HOME Celebrates Grand Opening of Gloria Casarez Residence on May 14

Newest Residence at 1315 North 8th Street is the first LGBTQ-friendly permanent supportive housing for young adults in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA (May 14, 2019) – Project HOME today announced the grand opening of its newest affordable housing for formerly homeless young adults, Gloria Casarez Residence, to be held on Tues., May 14, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. The residence, located at 1315 North 8th St., provides 30 apartments for young adults who are at risk of homelessness, have aged out of the foster care system and/or are homeless. The residence is the first permanent supportive residence of its kind in Pennsylvania. The building was named in honor of Gloria Casarez, a dedicated LGBTQ advocate and leader in Philadelphia and the United States.

“With Gloria Casarez Residence, we’re using the power of prevention to help end chronic street homelessness in our city,” said Sister Mary Scullion, Project HOME co-founder and Executive Director. “We know that 40 percent of young adults struggling with homelessness identify as LGBTQ. This residence is the first in the state and one of only a few in the nation that gives these young people a permanent safe, supportive place to begin their journey into adulthood and write their life’s story. We’re so excited to open this much-needed space that honors Gloria Casarez’s legacy, and we’re grateful to the many partners and leaders who made it a reality.”

Gloria Casarez Residence was brought to life through the leadership of Arthur Kaplan, Duane Perry, Mel Heifetz, John Alchin, Hal Marryatt, William Penn Foundation, the Philadelphia Foundation, Maguire Foundation, Aileen and Brian Roberts, Leigh and John Middleton, the Neubauer Family Foundation, and many other caring Philadelphians who are deeply committed to solving LGBTQ youth homelessness.

Gloria Casarez Residence is the sixth MPOWER project a Project HOME community investment partnership that’s multiplying the impact of Project HOME’s proven approaches to breaking the cycle of homelessness. The partnership focuses on revitalizing entire communities, including building new homes and programs to support the vulnerable individuals of today and tomorrow and breaking the cycle of homelessness for young adults.

About the Gloria Casarez Residence

The 36,547-square-foot building has a community room that opens out to a courtyard to host events and programming for residents and the larger community. Programming includes art activities, classes, and shows, community conversations, “potlatches,” advocacy committee meetings and other activities in partnership with area organizations. Residents receive employment and education services through Project HOME and are connected to medical, behavioral-health, and recovery services. Gloria Casarez Residence was possible because of the support from public and private partners with a substantial award from the City of Philadelphia. It was established with support from Raymond James Tax Credit Funds, TD Bank, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, Philadelphia Housing Authority, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, City of Philadelphia Division of Housing and Community Development, Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Leigh and John Middleton, John Alchin and Hal Marryatt, William Penn Foundation, Arthur Kaplan and Duane Perry, Mel Heifetz, Aileen and Brian Roberts, Maguire Foundation, Reed Smith LLP, Tara Maguire, Ira Lubert and Pam Estadt, Lynne and Harold Honickman, The Collis Family Fund, The Neubauer Family Foundation,and The Philadelphia Foundation.

About the May 14 Grand Opening Celebration

The Grand Opening Celebration will be held at 1315 North 8th Street at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. The event will include remarks from:

• Sister Mary Scullion, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Project HOME
• Leigh Middleton, MPOWER Founding Partner and Project HOME Board Member
• Kelvin Jeremiah, President and CEO of the Philadelphia Housing Authority
• Amber Hikes, Philadelphia Executive Director of LGBT Affairs
• John Alchin, Project Supporter and Stakeholder
• Young Adult Resident at Gloria Casarez Residence

About MPOWER

MPOWER is a Project HOME Community Investment Partnership drawing on a powerful network of people and ideas that multiplies Project HOME’s impact in five key areas: investments, relationships, resources, advocacy, and evidence. In just seven years, the partnership’s impact multiplier model has leveraged $25 million into $250 million which has helped to provide services to more than 15,000 people, including ending chronic street homelessness for more than 800 people.

About Project HOME

Since 1989, Project HOME has helped thousands of people break the cycle of homelessness and poverty by providing a continuum of care that includes street outreach, supportive housing and comprehensive services that focus on health care, education and employment through both adult and youth education and enrichment programs at the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs and community-based health care services at the Stephen Klein Wellness Center. Project HOME and its partners have pledged to end chronic street homelessness in Philadelphia. To learn more, visit www.projecthome.org.

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To see more photos from the Gloria Casarez Grand Opening visit: Gloria Casarez Grand Opening Photos