Katie

Hope House – a place for young people to belong

Katie is a Pastor at Epping Forest Community Church in Loughton, Essex. She is passionate about helping those who are struggling – particularly young people who need a place to live.

She has been helping  young people with housing predicaments  since 2005 when Katie and her flatmate invited a young woman, who was sleeping on a bench in Loughton High Street, to live them. Following all the appropriate procedures (for example, with the local authority), they helped her get a job and get back on her feet and changed the course of her life.

Since then, Katie’s home has been used to offer refuge to people in various crisis situations, whether for one night, one week or for the long-term providing shelter and a place of respite where they can heal, recover and begin to flourish.

In 2018, someone who didn’t know Katie, gave her a prophetic word that God would provide her a house. This released the faith in her for the vision of a five-bed, ‘Hope House’ in the heart for Debden. When she first approached Mission Housing, she thought it seemed impossible. But it wasn’t long before donors and lenders stepped forward and enabled this vision to become a reality. In 2020, she moved into a five-bed home at the heart of Debden!

Through Hope House, Katie aims to give young people a home.

This is more than just a bedroom of their own – it’s about providing stability and a route to independence, through guidance and consistent loving support. CentrePoint estimate that there are over 86,000 young people who are currently homes – with local authorities overwhelmed. Those that do receive ‘help’ are often find themselves in unsuitable accommodation, while many ‘fall between the cracks.’ Research sadly shows that this significantly increases the risk of life-long drug addition, criminality, unemployment, homelessness and mental health issues, and being more vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

Hope House is now a reality and is currently home to four young people.