Home Starts in the Kitchen: Why Housing is Healthcare
When we talk about health, most people think of doctors, prescriptions, and clinics. But at Northern Nevada HOPES, we understand that true health begins long before someone walks into an exam room. It starts with stability having a safe place to sleep, store medication, and prepare a meal.
That’s why we opened Hope Springs, our bridge housing community created for individuals experiencing homelessness who are working to rebuild their lives with dignity, safety, and support.
Why Housing Matters for Health
Imagine trying to manage diabetes without a refrigerator for insulin.
Or staying sober without a secure place to keep your medication.
Or coping with anxiety while sleeping outside in the cold.
These aren’t hypotheticals—they’re the daily realities many of our patients face.
Housing isn’t just shelter. It is one of the most powerful health interventions we can offer. Stable housing improves physical and mental health outcomes, reduces hospital visits, increases treatment adherence, and ultimately helps people move toward long-term stability and independence.
The Hope Springs Model
Hope Springs is far more than a collection of tiny homes. It is a healing community grounded in wrap-around care: medical and behavioral health services, case management, life-skills coaching, and peer support.
Residents spend about six months building a foundation for independence learning, stabilizing, and preparing for permanent housing.
Since opening in 2021, Hope Springs has supported nearly 100 individuals, helping dozens transition successfully into stable housing and meaningful employment.
Why the Kitchen Matters
At Hope Springs, the kitchen is not just a place to cook. It’s where healing, connection, and community take root.
Shared meals help reduce isolation, strengthen relationships, and create the rhythm and warmth of a real home. It’s often around a kitchen counter where people begin to feel safe enough to talk, open up, and believe in their future again.
This Giving Tuesday, we’re inviting our community to help us renovate the Hope Springs kitchen through our Home Starts in the Kitchen campaign.
Thanks to the generosity of Cindy L. Carano and Phil and Kristy Zive, every gift—up to $20,000—will be matched dollar-for-dollar, doubling your impact and helping create a nurturing space where residents can nourish both body and spirit.
Join Us This Giving Tuesday
On Tuesday, December 2, let’s come together to stir up something good. Your support helps transform lives—because when someone has a safe home and a healthy meal, they have hope.
