At Project Place, we do more than provide temporary help for those in need.

Usually, when people think of services for individuals experiencing homelessness, they think of hot meals or safe shelter. We offer both of those essentials, but what we really do at Project Place goes far beyond.

We create opportunities for employment by providing stabilization, education, and training to people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Project Place's work is rooted in the knowledge that employment offers the most sustainable pathway to permanently breaking the cycle of homelessness and poverty. That’s why we give our clients more than just a handout—we offer a hand up.

Here’s how we do it:

1. WE MAKE A 2+ YEAR COMMITMENT TO EVERY CLIENT.

Through individual coaching, our clients receive more than just programmatic support—we are there for them through all of life’s challenges. Staff work one-on-one with each client to develop a personalized path to success and ensure that they are prepared to succeed in our programming and beyond. Then, we stick with them until they reach their goals.

2. WE PROVIDE CRITICAL STABILIZATION SERVICES.

We help our clients overcome the barriers they face, ensuring they have access to resources like emergency shelter, public benefits, and healthcare. As an organization, we invest in cultivating relationships with service providers in a variety of fields to build a comprehensive community of care around every client.

3. WE GET OUR CLIENTS READY TO JOIN THE WORKFORCE.

In our classroom-based programming, we prepare our clients to find a job and succeed in the workplace. We teach employment-related skills like digital literacy, navigating professional environments, and interviewing. Our clients gain more than just knowledge—they develop a newfound sense of confidence and an ability to navigate the challenges ahead.

4. WE OFFER PAID ON-THE-JOB TRAINING IN OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.

While working at one of our three small businesses, clients build marketable skills, professional relationships, and a work history, all while earning a paycheck. Each of our small businesses operates in a high-demand industry, offering pathways to permanent employment, access to a livable wage, and opportunities for advancement.

5. WE BREAK DOWN THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.

In our Digital Literacy Center, we teach a wide range of technology skills crucial to both getting a job and succeeding in the workplace. Our classes go beyond computer basics and prepare clients for working with the systems and software commonly used in a variety of industries.

6. WE CREATE COMMUNITY.

At Project Place, community is everything. The rapport between clients and staff and the friendships formed among clients foster a welcoming environment. These relationships are the foundation of our culture of recovery and ensure our clients feel comfortable using us as a resource, no matter what life throws at them.

7. WE EMPOWER OUR CLIENTS TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES.

We know that lasting change is built on the transformational, not the transactional. Through our holistic programming, we help our clients build skills, develop confidence, and access opportunity—ultimately empowering them to create lasting change.