Transitional Housing of Pittsburgh – A start-up social service agency providing services in the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Amy Rand founded the organization. She has both the practical experience as well as the education necessary to manage it. Amy is currently working on assembling a strong Board of Trustees which will be invaluable for the organization.
Services
Transitional Housing of Pittsburgh is an organization that provides transitional housing and life skill training for women. It provides assistance for women often homeless in transitioning from abusive, dependent relationships into self-sufficient, independent lives. It assists clients with child reunion. This is especially important for clients who have children but no custody.
This is the only city-wide women-only facility. It also has long-term transitional housing. Transitional Housing is able to offer housing for up two years, while all other shelters offer just 30 days of housing. To assist clients, there is a counselor for chemical dependency and AIDS, as well as a counselor for family reunification.
Clients are provided with eight-step programs that teach them life skills. This cooperative approach to empowerment is key to clients becoming self-sufficient. The steps include personal development, vocational training, substance abuse counseling, interpersonal skills building, community involvement, leisure activities, and independent living skills.
The Market
Transitional Housing identified two distinct markets based on their age: those under 30 and those over 30. This distinction is necessary due to the large percentage of clients who have children. Clients in this younger market segment also tend to have fewer children. The growth rate for the younger age group of under 30 years is 9% and that of those aged 30 to over at 8.8%. Both groups are home to 165,454 clients and 158 745 potential customers, respectively. The overwhelming majority of clients come from lower socio-economic population groups. These groups can be difficult to contact, but Transitional Housing’s services will provide them some great benefits.
Management
Amy Rand is the driving force behind the organization and fills the Executive Director role. Amy earned a B.S. Amy holds a B.S. in Sociology from Case Western Reserve University, and a Master’s in Non-Profit Management at the University of Pittsburgh. Aside from her degree in Sociology, she also has a number of years of experience with social service project administration. Amy, who was program manager at Pennsylvania’s largest provider of domestic abuse assistance services, developed a proactive empowerment plan that became the foundation for Transitional Housing’s collaborative approach. Amy has built a vast network of professional relationships and personal connections with community leaders throughout her tenure as program managers. This will make Transitional Housing more visible in the community and help with fundraising.
1.1 Mission
Transitional Housing’s mission is to offer women in Pittsburgh safe, transitional housing alternatives, teach many skills that empower women to become self-sufficient, and facilitate the possibility of reunification with their children.
1.2 Keys for Success
- Build a strong, active Board of Trustees.
- Ensure that the offered services satisfy market needs.
- Design and implement strict financial controls and accountability.
1.3 Objectives
- Both for start-up and ongoing operations, secure sufficient funding.
- In order to provide housing and other empowering skills for women, create a women’s only transitional housing facility.
- Create a strong Board of Trustees, who will provide guidance and help with fundraising efforts. They will also oversee the smooth operation of this organization.