Indochinese Housing Development Corporation
For 30 years, the Indochinese Housing Development Corporation has assisted families living in the Tenderloin neighborhood with a place to call home, physically and emotionally. During the 1970s, community members concerned about the influx of low-income refugees bought a building at Eddy Street between Jones and Leavenworth to house hundreds of families, and so began the Indochinese Housing Development Corporation. The Tenderloin Achievement Group was founded on Indochinese Housing Development Corporation’s same principles of creating unity among community residents and has been dedicated to serving neighborhood children since 2000.
The Tenderloin Achievement Group works with 300 children in after-school and summer programs each year. By surrounding youth ages 5 and older in a safe and encouraging atmosphere, the program teaches healthy behaviors, increasing participants’ self-esteem and supporting children both academically and socially. By keeping groups small, Tenderloin Achievement Group ensures that each child receives a high level of attention. This imparts a sense of belonging, emotional security, and physical safety, all of which are essential in the group’s success.
Financial support from Metta Fund came at a crucial time for the organization; the current economic climate has seriously affected funding. The 2010 grant from Metta Fund has allowed the Tenderloin Achievement Group to expand its nutrition programming. Armed with their chef’s hats and the skills to make healthy eating decisions, the children now operate “Smoothies R Us,” a healthy drink shop located in Tenderloin’s kitchen. This youth-run initiative is a fun, practical way to bring healthy eating behaviors to life.
Program Director Tom Heath started as an IDHC volunteer 12 years ago, helping 15 children with their homework; the idea of a more structured after-school program grew from there. Heath insists there is still a lot to be accomplished, and he shows no signs of slowing down. For more information, please visit the Indochinese Housing Development Corporation Facebook page.
