Homelessness can happen to anyone. All it takes is a catastrophic illness, a loss of income, or a myriad of other unforeseen events. Today there are over 4,000 homeless Rhode Islanders, many who you may recognize as friends, family, or neighbors.
House of Hope Community Development Corporation is a non-profit organization founded in 1989 in Warwick, Rhode Island, with a mission to prevent and end homelessness in the state and end the personal and social trauma of homelessness. We create affordable housing delivered with life changing services and work with other advocates for policies to ensure that everyone can have a safe, stable home. Last year House of Hope CDC served 1,099 individuals and support 127 in housing. Our team of exceptional case managers provide a host of supportive services to assist our constituents in securing income, health insurance, and most importantly, permanent housing.
“We are ending homelessness.”
HISTORIC “FAIR HOUSE” BEGINS A NEW ROLE: A HAVEN FOR HOMELESS, DISABLED RHODE ISLANDERS
FINAL CUT: Participating in the ribbon cutting, from left: Richard Corley, Warwick City Councilman Ward 1; Deborah Imondi, president, House of Hope; state Rep. Joseph M. McNamara, D-District 19; Michel “Mike” Chapman, Fair House tenant; Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian; Laura Jaworski, House of Hope executive director; Alice Pace, chairperson, Pawtuxet Village Association; Maria Nichols, vice president, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston; Carol Ventura, deputy director, Rhode Island Housing; and Karen Flora, of the state Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals.
WARWICK, RI – May 22, 2017 – Fair House, the one-time headquarters for 19th Century state fairs, began its latest chapter today – as a haven for homeless and disabled individuals.
About 75 people attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony, many of them having played significant roles: finding funds, designing, rebuilding and advocating for the restoration of the nearly 200-year-old building at 69 Fair St., in Pawtuxet Village.
House of Hope Community Development Corporation, the Warwick-based, nonprofit agency that works to reduce homelessness, purchased the former fairgrounds’ exhibit hall in 2012 to create eight efficiency and two one-bedroom apartments.
“There were days that I didn’t think we were going to be here,” joked Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, referring to the long process of tapping various state and federal programs to raise money to pay for the project, designing a new addition to provide five of the apartments and seeking permission from various historical, local, state and federal authorities.
“This $2.5 million renovation project really allows us to not only celebrate the past, but to look forward with new, exciting vigor as to what Fair House will become for other people,” Avedisian said.
The mayor presented a historical plaque to House of Hope “to signify the importance of Fair House in our neighborhood, and to tell you that, when you are ready to take on the next project, we are ready to listen.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Mayor, I’ll call you this afternoon,” quipped, Laura Jaworski, House of Hope’s executive director.
“We have a couple of locations…,” Avedisian replied, as he left the podium under a large white tent that was set up in the parking lot in anticipation of rain that preceded the event but stopped and held off until after the mid-morning event ended.
LAURA JAWORSKI NAMED HOUSE OF HOPE’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; DEBORAH IMONDI ELECTED PRESIDENT
LAURA JAWORSKI, MSW, has been appointed executive director of House of Hope Community Development Corporation, one of Rhode Island’s leading nonprofit agencies serving homeless families and 
individuals.
In addition, House of Hope announced that Deborah Imondi, formerly assistant treasurer of Textron Inc. and current executive director of the RI 4-H Club Foundation Inc., has been elected president of the agency’s all-volunteer board of directors. William E. Stein, MSW, LICSW, has been promoted to the new post of clinical director of operations.
“I am pleased to serve an organization that has helped so many homeless Rhode Islanders, and done so with compassion and professionalism,” Imondi said. “I am confident Laura’s leadership will assure the organization’s continued growth and effectiveness in meeting the needs of our homeless population.”
With experience in several nonprofit social service agencies, Jaworski has overseen programs for the homeless, as well as for victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse. She joined House of Hope in January, 2015 and had been the agency’s associate director of programs and policies.
“It is an honor and privilege to lead this dynamic organization into the next phase of our work,” Jaworski said. “House of Hope has a long record of working with individuals and families impacted by homelessness through the development of quality affordable housing, and the delivery of quality, compassionate supportive services.”
We are in dire need of men’s and women’s new underwear, new socks, new undershirts, t-shirts, and personal hygiene products such as shampoo, soap, deodorant, disposable razors, and shaving cream. If you can organize a drive to collect these items at your work or civic group please contact Dawn Santos at Dawn@thehouseofhopecdc.org 401-463-3324 ext 206 or visit our AMAZON WISH LIST to purchase an item now.
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