Spotlight On
December 1, 2004
Organization Name: Miriam's House
Founded: 1996
Contact Person: Tim Fretz, Development Director
Address: PO Box 73618, Washington DC 20056
Phone: 202/667-1758
Fax: 202/667-4638
E-mail: tfretz@miriamshouse.org
URL: http://www.miriamshouse.org
Mission:
Miriam’s House is a residence for homeless women living with AIDS, some of whom have children. The mission is to provide
compassionate attention to the medical, practical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the women in the context of a loving
and respectful community.
Background:
In the early 1990’s, AIDS was having a severe impact on homeless women in Washington, D.C.
Although there were clinics for health needs and shelters for the homeless population, there
existed a great need in the community for a single site combining housing, secondary health care,
and support for recovery from addictions.
In early 1993, a building was purchased that had been boarded up for 11 years, and given a
complete interior demolition and renovation. Since the doors opened in 1996, over 84 women and
children have lived and received services at Miriam’s House.
Located in the heart of the Shaw/Columbia Heights neighborhood, Miriam’s House is a stable presence
in a rapidly changing neighborhood. As homes are renovated, up-scale businesses move in, and the income level
of area residents rises, concerns about gentrification and the lack of affordable housing are growing. Miriam's
House is an asset to the community, maintaining well-groomed grounds, focusing on security and offering housing
and services for low-income women suffering from a myriad of physical, emotional, and spiritual problems.
The three-story building, complete with welcoming common areas, 20 private rooms, and office space, reminds
neighborhood residents and business owners that assets exist in the neighborhood and low-income people with
complex needs will be served. With an emphasis on community living and support, the program includes live-in staff,
weekly house meetings, residential counseling, addictions counseling, community outings and events, and professional,
compassionate health care.
Current Programs:
Three basic programs support the mission of Miriam’s House:
- a hospice-like program for women who need a place in which to live until they die,
- a transitional program for women who regain health and sobriety and no longer need the level of care provided, and
- permanent housing for women who are disabled in ways that makes independent living inappropriate.
Miriam’s House is purposeful in targeting and seeking out the very needy: women close to death or in
otherwise very poor health; women with severe addiction problems; women with mental and emotional health issues;
and women who are in economic and housing crises. Miriam's House expects to serve 25-30 women with AIDS per year,
all of whom have a history of living in the District of Columbia but are homeless at the time of initial contact.
Women in all of these groups receive the following services at Miriam’s House:
- Health Care
Led by the Clinical Services Director, this program includes basic nursing and personal care, tracking
appointments and implementing treatments recommended by doctors, maintaining regular contact with doctors and clinics,
overseeing hospital care, nutrition and diet counseling, and advocating for the resident.
- Addiction Recovery
Led by the Program Director and a Certified Addictions Counselor, this program features weekly
meetings for community health and recovery work, individual sessions with staff members, and outside AA/NA meetings and/or
counseling.
- Community Life
Because the women who live at Miriam’s House often do not have support networks of family and friends,
Miriam’s House is the only community they know. This includes monthly excursions to cultural events, birthday parties and
other celebrations, and a festive Sunday breakfast and dinner each week to help build a strong sense of community. Women
who move into independent living continue to participate in many of these activities. Children’s programs and respite care
for children living at Miriam’s House.
Residents in the Transitional Program may also receive (if they desire it) counseling, financial planning, help locating
an apartment (and assistance with a down payment, if necessary), referrals to job placement agencies and good off-site
child care, and solidifying the sober lifestyle over a six to eight month period. Once women leave Miriam’s House, they
become part of the “extended family,” which includes regular follow-up meetings and invitations to attend social gatherings
at Miriam’s House. Women are told that they may always come back, provided there is space, if their health should deteriorate.
Miriam’s House staff are divided into three departments:
- Health Care
Health care staff is on site at all times, with on-call coverage from the RN. This department includes nurses, Personal
Care Aides (PCAs), and an AmeriCorps Member. The health care department takes responsibility for the overall health of
the residents, follows physician instructions per their care, and makes recommendations to supervisor or physician as appropriate.
- Program
The Program staff is headed by the Program Director, who provides basic case management and who sees each resident weekly
to set and maintain life goals. The Addictions Counselor provides one-on-one counseling to residents, creates and maintains
the addictions program, and facilitates a weekly group for all residents.
- Administration/ Development
The Executive Director (E.D.), Office Manager, and Development Director are the Administrative staff.
Full staffing levels are maintained 24-hours per day, seven days per week, with live-in staff providing duty coverage
as well as backup in cases of emergency.
Funding Needs:
Miriam's House continues to diversify its funding base, seeking funds to support critical client costs and staff
costs left uncovered by government grants, or other funding sources. A special project is the development of a sacred
garden to be used as a quiet reflective space by residents and staff.
The "Spotlight On" highlights the
activities of a different 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
serving the Metropolitan Washington, DC community.
The selection of organizations for the "Spotlight
On" is based on criteria such as programmatic
interests, geographic focus, and size, to ensure
the broadest possible representation of the region's
nonprofit sector.
If you'd like to see your NPO in the "Spotlight,"
e-mail a description of your organization, following
the above format, to dclibrary@foundationcenter.org,
with "Spotlight Submission" in the subject line.
|
