Frontline of Hope: The Heart Behind Grandma’s House of Hope’s Intake Department

When a person first reaches out to Grandma’s House of Hope, they’re often carrying more than just the few belongings they have left — they’re carrying years of fear, exhaustion, and uncertainty. And the first voices they hear belong to Belia and Alivia, the Intake team who open the front door to hope.

“We’re the first people our participants talk to,” Belia explains. “We're at the beginning of their journey.”

Together, Belia and Alivia make up the Intake Department — a two-person powerhouse at the very frontlines of GHH’s Housing Program. They are the bridge between homelessness and a place to rest, the first impression of what safety feels like.

“Our role is enrollment,” Alivia says. “We review applications, conduct assessments, and schedule move-in days. But really, we do so much more than paperwork — we’re giving someone the first moment they can breathe again.”

A Safe Beginning

Most women find Grandma’s House of Hope through self-referral on the organization’s website or through 2-1-1 Orange County. For men, referrals come through the Orange County Health Care Agency. Once an application is received, Belia and Alivia review it, assess availability, and reach out — sometimes to deliver the long-awaited words, “We have a bed for you.”

But from the moment that call connects, their work becomes deeply personal.

“I like to build a connection with them first,” Alivia says. “They’re coming from a hard place. You don’t want to add more pressure — you want them to feel safe, human, seen.”

Belia nods. “Many of our participants arrive with nothing but a trash bag. They’ve been treated like they don’t matter for so long. We try to give them that space — to talk, to cry, to just be heard. Before we even start the paperwork, we give them a safe space to breathe.”

Humanizing the Journey

At its core, their work is about humanization.

“When someone walks in, I shake their hand and ask their name,” Belia says softly. “It’s such a small thing, but it reminds them that they’re still a person — that they matter. They belong here.”

Over time, the two have seen the transformation that begins from that first contact.

“It’s amazing,” Alivia says. “When you see them again after a few weeks, they’re different.

Their faces are rested. They smile more. They glow. You can see hope settling in.”

Belia agrees. “You walk away from an intake knowing they’ll be safe tonight. That’s everything.”

Beyond the Job Description

The Intake Department’s responsibilities are heavy — daily and weekly reports, data tracking, county communications, and managing bed availability across multiple programs. But their real work lives in the quiet, human moments.

“We’re a shoulder for them to lean on,” Alivia says. “Not just to cry on, but to remind them that they’re not alone.”

“I love being able to give someone a moment of safety,” Belia adds. “Sometimes they just need someone to listen. That’s healing in itself.”

The Reward of Seeing Lives Change

Both women say that watching participants move into permanent housing is the most rewarding part of their work.

“When I get those emails that someone got housed, I cry,” Belia admits. “Especially when it’s someone I did the intake for. I remember the day they came in — what they were carrying, how they looked. And now they have a home.”

She smiles, recalling one participant named Ms. Brown. “She came in with bags and bags of stuff. She’d been homeless for decades. Now she’s thriving, and every time I saw her, she’d show me her nails and say, ‘Look, Miss Bell!’ It’s those moments that stay with you.”

A Family Beyond Shelter

For Belia and Alivia, Grandma’s House of Hope is more than a workplace — it’s a second home filled with laughter, care, and community.

“We spend more time here than at home,” Belia laughs. “We eat here, talk here, cry here. Everyone here is family — from our coworkers to our participants.”

That sense of family, they both say, is what sets GHH apart from other shelters.

“Our compassion sets us apart,” Alivia explains. “People can feel it the moment they call. They hear respect in our voices. They know they’re safe.”

“It comes from the top,” Belia adds. “From Irene, our CEO, down through management — everyone leads with heart. That’s why our participants feel it too.”

More Than Shelter — A New Beginning

When asked how they hope participants remember Grandma’s House of Hope, both women answer without hesitation:

“We want them to know they’ll always have a home here,” says Alivia. “That they’ll always be part of this family.”

Belia adds, “Even after they graduate, they can still call us. For resources, for help, or just to talk. Once you’re part of this family, you always are.”

For Belia and Alivia, the Intake Department isn’t just about processing applications — it’s about restoring dignity, rebuilding trust, and reigniting hope.

As Belia puts it, “We’re the first people they see when they come off the streets. We’re the frontlines. We give them the beginning of their new life.”