Community of Hope
From the most basic to the most comprehensive need--from washing a child's hair to providing medical care for an uninsured patient--Community of Hope is about improving the education, housing, health, and quality of life for low-income, homeless, and underserved families in DC. Since 1975, COH has served some 2,500 individuals annually and continues to raise the bar when it comes to cost-effective programs. Homeless children are nourished through after-school and summer programs (see the partnership with Project Create, page 19), and 74% of families in COH's housing program move into transitional or permanent housing. Recent efforts have focused on health: a primary care service offers preventive health and education, adult, pre-natal, and pediatric services, as well as HIV/AIDS treatment and (starting in 2006) dentistry. Many of COH's patients have urgent health needs--pregnancy, diabetes, and high blood pressure among them--and in 2004 alone, Health Services logged more than 6,000 patient visits. One of a handful of places in DC providing healthcare regardless of one's ability to pay, COH also helps patients access health benefits for which they are eligible. This holistic range of programs means community, hope, and help to the most vulnerable families in our nation's capital. Help keep the hope alive.
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