More Than a House: Why One Landlord Believes in Grandma's House of Hope

When Josh Ivey first met the founder of Grandma's House of Hope years ago, he wasn't looking for a nonprofit partnership.

He was simply a property owner trying to decide who he could trust with one of his homes.

Today, more than six years later, Josh is still renting that home to Grandma's House of Hope—and he couldn't be happier with the decision.

"In all the years I've owned property, Grandma's House of Hope has probably been the easiest and most enjoyable tenant I've ever had,"  he says with a laugh.

But for Josh, the relationship has never been just about property management.

It's about people.

When he first learned about Grandma's House of Hope's mission, he was struck by how different the organization was from many traditional shelter programs.  Instead of seeing people as statistics or problems to solve, Grandma's House of Hope saw individuals with stories, dignity, and potential.

"I was impressed by how intentional they were," Josh recalls.  "The participants were supported, the homes were managed well, and there was a genuine commitment to helping people rebuild their lives."

That commitment has only grown clearer over the years.

As both a landlord and donor, Josh has had a unique perspective on the organization's impact.  While many people worry about supportive housing operating in residential neighborhoods, he has seen firsthand what happens when compassion is paired with accountability.

"It really comes down to the people running the organization," he explains. "Grandma's House of Hope does an incredible job making sure participants are respectful, supported, and part of the community."

For Josh, one of the most powerful aspects of Grandma's House of Hope's model is something that many people overlook:  the home itself.

Unlike large warehouse-style shelters, participants live in real homes, in real neighborhoods, surrounded by the rhythms of everyday life.

That matters more than people realize.

"If you're trying to rebuild your life, your environment is crucial," Josh says. "When you're surrounded by stability, safety, and peace, it's easier to believe that your own life can become stable too."

He compares it to walking through a difficult season in his own life.

"When you're in a valley, the environment around you can either help lift you up or pull you down.  A peaceful home creates space for healing."

For many participants, the homes operated by Grandma's House of Hope may be the first place they've experienced that kind of stability in years.  The homes provide more than shelter—they provide dignity, structure, encouragement, and the opportunity to envision a different future.

And that future is exactly what Josh hopes participants find.

"I want them to discover confidence again," he says.  "Confidence that grows into self-worth. Self-worth that grows into hope. Hope that grows into a vision for a life they may have given up on a long time ago."

As a father, those hopes feel deeply personal.

When he thinks about individuals experiencing homelessness, he doesn't see labels.  He sees sons and daughters.

"Every participant is someone's child," he says.  "At one point they were a completely innocent child full of potential and possibility.  That value hasn't disappeared. Sometimes it's just buried underneath years of hardship."

That perspective shapes the way he views Grandma's House of Hope's work.

The organization doesn't simply provide housing.  It helps uncover the value and dignity that have always been there.

Over the years, Josh has also had the opportunity to get to know many of the staff and leaders behind the mission.  That experience has strengthened his confidence as both a supporter and donor.

"I believe in people," he says. "And the people at Grandma's House of Hope genuinely care.  Their hearts are in the right place, and that matters."

In a world filled with countless charitable causes competing for attention, Josh believes donors want one thing above all else:  confidence that their support is making a difference.

For him, Grandma's House of Hope earns that confidence every day.

"If you're looking for a place where your donation will truly impact lives, this is it," he says.

Then he pauses and reflects on what makes the organization special.

"It's not that they've discovered some secret formula," he says.  "It's that they care.  And when people feel cared for, amazing things can happen."

At Grandma's House of Hope, that care looks like a safe place to sleep.  A supportive case manager.  A home in a neighborhood.  A second chance.

Most importantly, it looks like hope.

The kind of hope that reminds someone they are more than their circumstances.

The kind of hope that helps people find their way home.