The Healing Journey

When Frank was discharged from a Southern California hospital, he was in need of intensive follow up care; he was also homeless.

For hundreds of Angelenos who are without a home, a hospitalization can cause a momentary interruption of homelessness, but the reality of receiving follow-up care and healing on the street is such that many homeless patients find their way back into the hospital.

National Health Foundation’s (NHF) Pathway Recuperative Care offers patients like Frank a safe and supported environment where they can continue their healing journey and, thanks to our continuum Bridge Housing program, find a permanent and stable home to return to upon discharge.

Patients spend an average of 7-10 days in recuperative care and this respite often triggers a desire in our guests to find a stable home; however, the process is often challenging and takes a team of individuals to connect the guest with the best possible permanent housing solution. Since our program began in 2010, we have helped more than 3,000 formerly homeless individuals heal and nearly half find their way home.

On #GivingTuesday, we are inviting the community to donate generously to NHF’s Pathways and Bridge Housing programs. Your donations will provide taxi vouchers for patients to be transported from the hospital to our facilities, personal hygiene supplies, clothing and basic furnishings to help a formerly homeless individual make a house into a home.

For more information about Pathway recuperative care, click here.

For more information on Bridge Housing, please click here.

This Giving Tuesday, Give Teens the Power to Choose

Ty’Keese wants to be a mom someday. Just not right now.

Robert used to think that pregnancy was not really his problem.

Both Ty’Keese and Robert have participated in National Health Foundation’s Be A Star programs that offer at-risk youth in South Los Angeles high schools the type of frank and open conversations about pregnancy, sexual health, goal setting and personal responsibility that have proven to reduce teen pregnancy. After all, Be A Star’s motto is Be A ‘Successful Teen Acting Responsibly’!

Ty’Keese is currently attending Humboldt State University working towards her degree in psychology and Robert is in his last year of high school and serves as a mentor to other young men in the program.

The harsh reality is only 40% of teen moms finish high school and fewer than 2% finish college by age 30*. High school dropouts face unemployment, poverty – and shorter lives. Yes, you read that correctly. There is a significant link between education and health. High school graduates live longer than high school dropouts. College graduates have even longer life spans, better access to health care, better dietary and health practices, and overall better health.

Be A Star has provided more than 700 students with the tools they needed to prevent unwanted pregnancy and set a clear path to graduation and beyond. For teens who are already parenting, the program encourages students to complete high school, set goals for college and prevent any additional unwanted pregnancies.

“It is amazing to watch the young men and women in the program really step into themselves. They come in somewhat shy and unsure and by the time they complete the program they are knowledgeable and empowered. You can see it in the way they speak. More importantly though, you can sense the hope they have for their futures,” shared Be A Star program manager, Jeanette Pena.

All of the donations received by National Health Foundation on #GivingTuesday will be used to expand and improve our health programs such as Be A STAR. We’re hoping to raise $8000 to increase the number of participants we can serve. Click here to connect with our donation page.

Find out more about the Be A Star Boys from Raymond Diaz, program coordinator: Click here

*The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, “Preventing Teen Pregnancy is Critical to School Completion,” Briefly… (Washington, D.C.) July 2010