Fatima Paniagua Emestica

Founded in 1990, Homestretch is a nonprofit organization that serves homeless parents and children in Falls Church and Fairfax County, Virginia. Homestretch empowers homeless parents with children to move from crisis to financial independence and long-term stability. At Homestretch, we make a long-term investment in our clients, through a two-year comprehensive program. We move them into a neighborhood home, and then provide services based on their specific circumstances, needs, and goals. During their time with Homestretch, parents work, pay a percentage of their income for rent, and put money into savings. We help with transportation and child care costs, and educate parents on a wide-variety of life skills. Specialized services for the children include our preschool and our teen after-school program. The majority of our services are housed in one location. The Homestretch program works. Ninety percent of Homestretch clients graduate, with a job, an affordable home, their debts paid off, and savings in the bank. Two years after graduation, 95% of Homestretch clients are still working and living in their own homes.