House of Eli

House of Eli is a 501 (C) (3) non-profit ministry that strives to identify and serve system-involved, aging-out youth with housing, education, and employment. The purpose of this organization is to empower our clients using recovery-focused skills development, supportive care, vocational training, and advocacy. We believe a community where life is sacred, protected and affirmed is the cornerstone for recovery and freedom from the cycle of recidivism, abuse, and poverty. 

Our Needs

Over 23,000 youth exit the foster care system each year, and countless others are exited from the juvenile justice system just weeks before their 18th birthdays. Most are exited back to environments that are toxic at best, and many are dropped off at homeless shelters or sent to hotels for a few days hoping a transitional placement will open before their money from the state runs out. These less-than-ideal situations lead our guys---really unprepared boys (who are expected to act like adults at 18, but who have never been taught how) to fail or reoffend. Our young men recognize that their healthiest path forward includes separation from the people of their unhealthy pasts and chose to live at Eli full-time. They rely completely on us for all needs and any support until they become self-sufficient. Most young men arrive with nothing, having come to us straight from a facility or the streets, so we start from square one to meet even basic survival needs and provide for them as they grow and learn new skills such as nutrition and meal planning, house upkeep, finance management, and vocational training. We provide healthcare, therapy, and counseling to address the years of injuries and trauma form spending their childhoods in the streets. Many residents have educational expenses as they work to get caught up academically and even work towards college degrees. Our guys are also willing to work! Through Eli Bros., our job training program, they learn all the hard and soft skills needed to earn a living wage. In the last year, House of Eli has expanded our main transitional living home and are currently renovating another home to better care for this underserved population.  With your help and help from our community partners, we've been meeting these needs plus countless others. Your gift helps fill in the funding gaps, allowing us to operate at full capacity, grow, and ensure we can provide the best support to this group of boys who have great potential but have had few great opportunities.