Our Values

1. For the Kids

Our children and youth are at the center of everything we do. We see hope and possibility by offering grace, understanding, dignity, and trust.

2. Stronger Together

We journey alongside our children, youth, and families, as well as our community partners.

3. Becoming

We continuously evolve and improve our model of care to meet the needs of our children and youth.

4. Catalysts for Change

We are generational disruptors of homelessness and will do whatever it takes to remove the barriers caused by homelessness.

5. For Each Other

We optimize our collective talents to best serve our children and youth.

WHY WE DO IT

FOR THE KIDS, ALWAYS

Our primary mandate is to serve homeless children. In everything we do, our goal is to honor the dignity and potential of each child. We strive every day to deliver that level of care.

OUR STORY

1989

Project Hope Alliance grew out of a schoolteacher’s passion for assisting local homeless children with their education – with her car serving as the first classroom. This personal outreach program soon became an organized undertaking called Project HOPE, which stood for “Homeless Outreach Program in Education.”

2009

Project HOPE grew to become a county-run school designed to help children without permanent homes transition into the mainstream educational system. The First Presbyterian Church of Orange served as a key partner of the program for 20+ years, providing the facilities and many other invaluable operational services to the school.

2018

Now called Project Hope Alliance, the organization remains committed to providing homeless children and youth from kindergarten through age 24 with the tools and opportunities that they need to learn their way to a better tomorrow. In this work, we have spent the last 28 years developing a unique model of care, which includes effective education and housing stability program models that serve the needs of children experiencing homelessness in Orange County.

Team Kid

Our team comes from a variety of backgrounds, but we all have one thing in common: a passion for accomplishing PHA’s mission: to end the cycle of homelessness, one child at a time.

Our Team

Jennifer Friend, J.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Shelby Feliciano-Sabala, MSW

Chief Partnership Officer

Shelly Sennikoff

Director of Finance and Administration

Lucia Nguyen

Director of Programs

Annie Song, MPA

Director of Development

Chrissie Lee, M.S.W. PPSC

Manager of Community Based Services

Guadalupe Contreras

District Manager, Newport-Mesa

Victor Lugo

District Manager, Santa Ana

Jocelyn Balderrama

District Manager, Huntington Beach

Celso Fuentes

Partnership Manager

Fatiha Small

Case Manager

Kimberly Garrido

Case Manager

Kirya Valle

Case Manager

Nidia Pravongviengkham M.A.

Case Manager

Catherine Balderrama

Case Manager

Katherine Montiel

Case Manager

Mauricio Gonzalez

Case Manager

Natalie Garcia

Case Manager

Vanessa Praguedes

Case Manager

Angela Garcia

Case Manager

Jennifer Matsuda

Manager of Program Impact

John Eumurian

Foundation Relations Manager

Annie Weir, J.D

Grants & Development Coordinator

Allen Burnett, MTS

Community Engagement Manager

Erika Rios

Development & Marketing Manager

Michelle Ngo

Marketing Intern

Chloe Hataishi

Marketing Intern

Our Board

LYNN HEMANS, MBA

Board Chair

Vice President, Consumer Intelligence & Strategy
 The Hershey Company

APRIL NEGRETE

Vice President

Lockton

DAWN BOUNDS, PH.D.

Secretary

Assistant Professor, Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, UCI

PETE DEUTSCHMAN, MFA

Treasurer

President, The Buddy Group

SEAN BOULTON, Ed.D

Director

Principal, Newport Harbor High School

JOSH FRIEND

Director

CEO, Insellerate

ERIC RANS, J.D.

Director

Partner, Michelman & Robinson LLP

RAY WESTON, J.D

Director

Vice President & General Counsel, Taco Bell

FINANCIALS

This past year, you brought hope to more children than ever before.

 

See for yourself.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we’re independently audited each year. You can download our financial documents below.

Download the print-ready report.

Project Hope Alliance logo