Transitional Housing of Pittsburgh – A start-up social service agency providing services in the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Amy Rand, who is both a professional and has the education required to run the organization, was the founder. Amy is currently working on assembling a strong Board of Trustees which will be invaluable for the organization.

Services

Transitional Housing of Pittsburgh offers transitional housing and life skills training for women. It helps women who are frequently homeless to transition from abusive and dependent relationships into independent, self sufficient lives. It aids clients in child reunification. This is especially important because 80% of clients do not have custody but have children.

This is the city’s only women-only facility and the only one with long-term transitional housing. Transitional Housing has a two-year guarantee, while shelters typically offer 30 days housing. Clients can get help from a counselor on chemical dependency, AIDS and a family reunification counselor.

The program includes eight steps that help clients learn life skills. This collaborative approach to empowerment will help clients achieve self-sufficiency. 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 has identified two distinct customers segments based on their age. Because of the high proportion of clients having children, the distinction is critical. Clients in the younger segment tend to have far fewer children than those in the older market. The 30-and-over age group is growing at 8%, while the age group below 30 is growing at 9.9% per year. These two groups have 165,454 potential clients and 158,745 clients, respectively. Most clients are from lower socio-economic groups. These segments can be difficult to communicate with, yet their use of Transitional Housing’s services would give them some profound benefits.

Management

Amy Rand, the Executive Director, is the driving force behind the company. Amy earned a B.S. Amy has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology degree from Case Western Reserve University as well as a Master of Non-Profit Business Management from the University of Pittsburgh. Additionally, she is a veteran in the management of social service projects. Amy created a proactive empowerment programme while working as the program manger for Pennsylvania&#8217’s largest domestic abuse relief agency. This program has since become the foundation of Transitional Housing&#8217’s collaborative approach towards empowerment. During and since her tenure as program manager, Amy has developed a comprehensive network of personal and professional contacts with key community leaders. This will allow Transitional Housing to be more prominent in the community, and also make a significant contribution to fundraising activities.

1.1 Mission

Transitional Housing is a nonprofit that provides safe housing for women in Pittsburgh. It also teaches a variety of skills to help women become self-sufficient and helps with the reunification of their children.

1.2 Keys for Success

• Build a strong, active Board of Trustees.
• Ensure that the offered services satisfy market needs.
• Implement strict financial controls.

1.3 Objectives

• Secure sufficient funding, both start up and operational.
• In order to provide housing and other empowering skills for women, create a women’s only transitional housing facility.
• Establish a strong Board of Trustees to provide guidance, support fundraising efforts and oversee smooth operation of the organization.