JWI "Live and Work" Initiative

I present before you today a woman who had the faith to believe that life had more to offer not only to me but to my children. The experience I endured was not for me but to help others that would experience what I went through. That brings me to the introduction. Hello, my name is Joanne Washington and I am the Founder and CEO of Joanne Washington, INC Public Benefit Corporation also known as JWI. We are a for profit public benefit corporation with a social impact. Our office is located in Pottstown, PA. JWI is not just an organization, we are an organism for the community. We feel the heart of the community and give people what is needed by using our lived experiences to inspire and create hope. Our purpose is to H.E.L.P. (Hold Excuses & Love People) through our Public Benefit with our JWI Community Liaison program, JWI Assistance Center and “Live and Work” Initiative. Today I am here to seek your support for our“Live and Work” Initiative.that fosters a transformative mindsets to move from survival mode to thriving mode with a sponsorship program that includes the utilization of transformation tools…

Housing

Education

Employment

Community Building

Family Reunification and

Spirituality

As someone who dealt with chronic homelessness for 8 years (2009-2017) due to the loss of my job as a store manager, I soon experienced loss quickly. I was a single mother of two gems at the time and because I could not find the proper resources in time, I lost our home and vehicle. With systems not working together, I did not understand how to advocate for my needs or how to help myself out of my situation. That sent me into a downward spiral, eventually leading me to live from place to place with a shelter in between. Struggling to stay employed and to find landlords that would help me gain stable housing so I could stay employed was very challenging, Once I became stable in employment, I still could not find a landlord that would help me. So I financed a car to sleep in with my youngest gem and had a friend watch after my oldest. That ultimately led to a brief lapse in parenting, with me having to send both my children to live with my church family until I was able to care for them properly because I was estranged from my family. Not sure how to navigate through the hopelessness and helplessness at the time, the thought of taking my life seemed to be the only solution to this problem...

Just as so many others challenges, chronic homelessness needs people to H.E.L.P. (Hold Excuses & Love People). All systems play a part in the succession on the journey to self-sufficiency. We are a society that is bound by protocols, meanwhile people are surviving not thriving, being "maintenanced" not maintaining. Homelessness is a condition not a person which means everyone experiences it differently. The experience I had was a journey I knew that once I got out, I had to pull others out. I had to H.E.L.P.

This initiative is important to me because people are important to me. I want to give the wisdom, knowledge and inspiration of breaking the chains of chronic homelessness I did not get when I went through. I remember the cries for someone to H.E.L.P. me, the struggles of just needing a job to get housing or get into an education program just to get housing. When you are homeless, struggling mentally... financially... physically... emotionally... internally... you feel like you have no place in neighborhoods, families, or society as a whole. Doubt start, questions form and reality kicks in. Now what?

This is why I started the JWI "Live and Work" Initiative. A sponsorship, program for adults that are looking to transform their lives being a benefactor of H.E.L.P. JWI "Live and Work" Initiatives offers sponsorship opportunities for 18 adults with temporary housing in our Next Phase! Transitional Housing program and certification / diploma at our C.A.T.A.P.U.L.T. U Education Center, with 64 education slots to partner with supportive housing. We offer 8 certification / diploma courses, employment / entrepreneurship opportunities, community building, family and social service reunification and faith based connections.

The saying goes, "it takes a village!" Chronic homeless is everyone's problem. The concept of "not in my yard" is no longer relevant because it is in everyone's yard. Help support our efforts in stopping chronic homelessness so it doesn't have to be in anyone's yard! Friends I need your help. With your efforts, chronic homelessness can be a thing of the past but we have to start now! Please take a look at the plan below to see where you can make a difference.

Joanne Washington, INC Public Benefit Corporation is seeking sponsorship for total start-up funding of $3,409,542.00 for first year capital expenditures. The capital will be used as follows:

Building Purchase: $650,000.00

Restoration of building for services: $800,000.00

C.A.T.AP.U.L.T. U registration: $15,250.00

Building Insurance: $9,852.00

“Live and Work” initiative program (housing and education): $585,000.00 yearly

Education Contractors: $300,000

Janitorial/maintenance: $108,000.00

Van / Bus purchase and insurance: $60,000.00

Kitchen equipment: $150,000.00

Furniture and equipment: $200,000.00

Service Contractors: $245,720.00

I truly thank you for your liberality. I am truly thankful and grateful for this opportunity. I look forward to changing lives together.

For more information about what a Public Benefit Corporation is and functions as, please feel free to contact me.

Have a wonderful day on purpose!

Joanne