new!

Housing Program

where is your safe space?

Recently, a program participant was having a challenging day at work, and she unexpectedly walked out the door. She called later to apologize for leaving, but explained, “I just needed to get home with my dog” — her safe place.

Individuals who have experienced human trafficking need access to affordable, independent housing. Safe, supportive housing helps survivors avoid re-victimization as they reintegrate into the community. In executing our mission and building relationships with the communities we serve, Freedom a la Cart identified a critical housing affordability gap that hinders recovery and impedes personal growth. Without wrap-around housing support and step-up housing affordability programming, survivors’ ability to break cycles of exploitation and achieve economic independence is at risk.

To mitigate this risk, Freedom a la Cart is piloting a bridge program that combines housing affordability, trauma-informed workforce development, and aligned services to support housing sustainability. The Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio collaborated with Freedom a la Cart to incorporate learnings from two current bridge programs into a model that retains our focus on empowerment, independence and personalization. The result is a unique, individualized program designed to transition survivors off of subsidized housing in a tiered approach, while they maintain employment and gain economic independence.

our “hands up housing” program

Participants in the workforce development will be eligible only for housing navigator services upon program entry. It is not until successful transition to Phase 2 of the program (typically after 3-4 months with demonstrated proficiency in attendance and punctuality, and continued active program participation), that the individual will be eligible to receive financial rental assistance. Rental assistance will be delivered on the progressive engagement model, flexible to the unique needs of individual participants. and re-evaluated on a quarterly basis combined with regular budget reviews. Our goal is to have participants paying 100% of their rent after 12 months of rental assistance and before transitioning to Phase 3 of the workforce development program.

Based on known participant income and a target housing payment of 30% of gross household income by roll-off date, tiered rental assistance in the Hands Up Housing Program is modeled and budgeted as follows:

● First 3 months of assistance — 60% of rent paid monthly by Freedom a la Cart

● Next 6 months — 40% of rent paid monthly by Freedom a la Cart

● Last 3 months — 20% of rent paid monthly by Freedom a la Cart

Participant Qualifications: Pilot participants will be drawn from current workforce development program enrollees. For pilot purposes, external referrals will not be accepted.

Pilot Size: Estimated 14

Workforce Intervention Scoping: Participants receive paid training and personal support while working in Freedom a la Cart’s catering kitchen + café. The program includes resource management, job coaching, life skills development, social connection, trauma counseling, educational support and financial literacy. Survivors experience paid job shadowing and internships as they explore what different career paths might look like for them. As they secure their next stable job, they continue to access direct support for up to one year to strengthen job retention. Housing Intervention Scoping Rent assistance will be provided as detailed above in payments made directly to the housing provider. In addition to rent assistance, participants are required to engage in ongoing budget counseling. Housing support and education will be customized for each participant and may include resource screenings and/or referrals, problem-solving, locating safe housing, housing rights and responsibilities, and conflict resolution.

Partnerships: Freedom a la Cart partnered with Affordable Housing Alliance to create this program model and has developed a community partnership with Columbus Housing Enterprise — a trusted affordable housing provider that caps rental rates at a price affordable to participant income