Lydia's House of Hope

Our Mission

Passion, Dedication, Love

The Mission here at Lydia’s House of Hope is to train and equip homeless and poverty stricken women and children with the necessary skills, counseling, and support needed to move out of their chronic homeless situation. We work to provide them with sustainable self-supporting, and independent living, while at the same time, providing a safe environment where residents are equipped, encouraged, and empowered to reach their highest potential.

We are a 501©3 non-profit organization with a big dream of ending the cycle of homelessness and generational poverty in the Greater Seacoast Area. We help the homeless and those feeling hopeless achieve independence, sustainability, and productivity, improving their lives and integrating them into their communities.

Lydia’s House of Hope

The program takes place in a highly supervised residential setting accommodating 25 women and children. All aspects of the program are multi-purposed to provide classroom and practical training. Every resident at Lydia’s House of Hope participates in a minimum year long four-phase program. Each resident works with a case manager to individually tailor and design a plan to help them progress in their journey. We provide over 30 programs each month, including weekly classes in everything from parenting, and 12-step recovery, to job interview skills, budgeting, writing skills and cooking. We have two case managers on staff, a house supervisor, a programming coordinator, and 24 hour live-in supervision.

Our History

The journey to create Lydia’s House of Hope began with years of working with the homeless and understanding the struggles faced by many families, especially women and children. As we served meals at Crossroads House and provided essentials like socks, shoes, and food to those living in tents and cars, we noticed a recurring theme: these are families in crisis. Many of those we helped were from the same family, highlighting the issue of generational poverty. They were born into it and didn’t know how to escape it.

Determined to make a difference, we embarked on the long but worthwhile journey to open a residential housing facility for families, starting with women and children. Our goal was to help them get back on their feet and provide the tools and support needed to break the cycle of poverty. Through community support, fundraising, and hard work, Lydia’s House of Hope became a reality, opening its doors to the first residents in January 2017.

The house is named in the loving memory of Lydia Valdez, a courageous and special little girl who lost her battle with cancer. Despite her struggle, 9-year-old Lydia remained determined, upbeat, and full of compassion. Her dad and stepmom helped bring this house to life in her honor, embodying the bravery she showed. At Lydia’s House of Hope, we strive to help others change their lives with the same bravery, determination, and honesty, one family at a time.