Carson City non-profit is fighting homelessness, starting with access to housing first

Carson City’s Ellen Jackson understands the homeless. She also understands what it takes to reduce homelessness one client at a time.

Spirit of Hope, the nonprofit Ms. Jackson manages, was founded in 2010 and has since been dedicated to providing long-term living arrangements for needy populations in Carson City.

Spirit of Hope employs a model of care based on the housing-first philosophy—that without safe and supportive environments in which to live, the homeless cannot pull themselves out of the depths that led them there in the first place.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the key to solving anyone’s homelessness crisis, no matter the root cause, is to reconnect with permanent housing.

Without a reconnection to permanent housing, the problems that lead to homelessness, from mental illness to substance abuse, cannot be solved in a sustainable way. The NAEH further states:

“This is what we mean by Housing First: the homelessness is a problem with a solution, and that solution is housing. For everyone. Whether you follow the rules or not. Whether you are 'compliant' with treatment or not. Whether you have a criminal record or not. Whether you have been on the streets for one day or ten years. Permanent housing is what ends homelessness.”

Spirit of Hope adheres to these housing-first principles, with one exception—the ability to stay in a home managed by Ms. Jackson is conditional. There are strict rules for all clients. After years of working tirelessly advocating and caring for the homeless, Ellen Jackson has reconciled that the amount of giving she can give is predicated on a client’s desire to improve his or her life.

She summed up her feelings this way: “I will not work harder than my clients work for themselves.” But setting high expectations for proper behavior does not mean Ms. Jackson isn’t empathetic to the challenges of the homeless. She further described how she resolves behavioral incidents on a case-by-case basis.

“People hit potholes,” she said, “and if they need to get back to AA or see a therapist, I am there to make sure that happens.”

Clients also have to buy-in financially because Spirit of Hope does not provide a free ride. Rent is inclusive and is billed on a sliding scale based on the client’s ability to pay—rooms typically rent for $550 - $600 per month. And everyone must contribute to maintaining the household.

The homes must be clean and organized and meals are coordinated to create a true home environment. There’s additional motivation for clients to follow the rules—for every client currently living in a Spirit of Hope home, there are others waiting in line. Spirit of Hope started with one home that served a few homeless clients.

Ten years later, the non-profit manages nine homes and 43 clients. Referrals come from Carson Tahoe Hospital, Reno Behavioral Health, Renown Medical Center, Carson Behavioral Health, and more.

The potential to helping the homeless is limitless and the work is endless. Ellen Jackson has dedicated herself to helping the homeless, but she needs help because Spirit of Hope provides more than shelter.

That is, the inclusive rent payments go far beyond paying for utilities—she drives clients to medical appointments and self-help meetings and personally ensures all homes, nine of them, are clean and well-furnished. She has set high standards for both her clients’ well-being and their living arrangements.

Recognizing the viability of Ellen Jackson’s efforts to combat homelessness, community members are stepping up to help Spirit of Hope.

Carson City residents Jon Rogers and Rob Webster, for example, are helping revitalize the nonprofit’s board of directors.

Mr. Rogers added, “We’re looking at the model used by Spirit of Hope as a proven solution to reducing the homeless population and we want to help Ellen build a stronger organizational foundation to ensure long-term sustainability. We’re very excited to be involved.”

Reducing homelessness one client at a time by providing permanent housing that is affordable, clean and fosters a homey environment in which to live. This is Spirit of Hope’s mission and Ellen Jackson’s passion. And it works—because it is from that point forward that people in need can really begin to help themselves.

For more information or to support Spirit of Hope’s fight against homelessness, contact Ellen Jackson at jjnellen2@yahoo.com or (775) 315-0121.

Michael Raponi is an independent writer in Carson City, NV who writes frequently about education issues. He can be contacted at michael.raponi@outlook.com.