Our House Families

The beginning of Our House Families, formerly Community Resource Network of Chesapeake, dates to March 30, 1982. The City of Chesapeake Division of Social Services called a meeting of all churches, civic groups and other helping agencies for the establishment of a volunteer “Resource Network” that would bridge the pending gap in services due to federal and state government funding cutbacks to the social service program. Twenty churches/organizations answered the call to form a task force and after much planning, the Community Resource Network of Chesapeake, (CRN) was incorporated in July, 1983 with twelve churches as founding members. Since 1983, CRN has been helping families in crisis through its programs and services.

Initially, CRN provided families in crisis with funds to stay at local hotels, and in 1988 the shelter residence at 405 D Street was purchased to better meet the needs of homeless families in the City of Chesapeake. The emphasis of CRN was four-fold: (1) feeding the hungry through a network of food closets; (2) providing information and referral services for residents in need; (3) providing emergency shelter for Chesapeake families, and (4) providing crisis financial assistance to Chesapeake families in crisis.

In 2002, CRN purchased a six-unit apartment complex for the purpose of operating a new transitional housing facility for homeless families, consisting of women and children in the City of Chesapeake, VA. Case Management is provided by staff and other supportive services are coordinated by staff and delivered in collaboration with several service providers. Life skills training, child care, transportation, educational classes, employment assistance, health care including dental and emergency assistance are provided to assist families in their move from assistance to self-sufficiency and independence.

The next major step for CRN was in 2003 with the establishment of a financial literacy program with a generous grant from HSBC, then Household Financial. The program taught 50 families per year the fundamentals of financial literacy through classroom training, provided one-on-one counseling and upon satisfactory completion of the course offered a financial incentive to use for debt reduction or to pay towards a school loan or education program. The program has since changed and expanded to offer more participants as well as more comprehensive training including a home ownership track. This program, aimed at persons who have already been identified as at-risk or in a financial crisis, provides the ability to improve their financial literacy as well as improve their financial status.

In March 2006 Community Resource Network of Chesapeake changed its name to Our House Families: Restored and Renewed and continues to serve the needy families of the City of Chesapeake and beyond.