Harvest House is a supportive and affordable housing and hunger relief provider with 380 beds and multiple programs throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties in Southwest Florida. Harvest House works to democratize affordable housing, addiction recovery, workforce development, and food security to improve overall well-being for generations to come. In 2024, Harvest House has served 806 men, women, and children with supportive housing, provided residential addiction recovery services for 297 individuals, and housed 184 children.

In 2024, EPSCF provided a three-year capacity-building grant to support two critical roles — Director of Operations and Network Administrator. Structured on a declining scale, this support directly enhances organizational infrastructure to further Harvest House’s mission and expand impact across housing and recovery programs.

Key outcomes from the first year include:

• Stability rates for families exiting the program rose from 71% in 2023 to 89% in 2024, thanks to improved intake screening, policy oversight, and in-house counseling.

• Implementation of AppFolio software improved administrative response times by ~30%.

• Adult residents securing employment or enrolling in school increased from 52% in 2023 to 62% in 2024.

• Gains were also seen in budgeting skills and family reunification, with participation agreements formalized across campuses.

• Fair Market Housing Program

  • Launched in 2024 to serve low-income workers.

  • Increased housing inventory from 69 to 83 units.

  • Achieved full occupancy with affordable rents below market rates, providing stability and access to light-touch support services.

• Seamless transitioned to a new network provider, resolving multiple legacy issues. Results included improved system stability, enhanced staff productivity, restored digital operations, and reduced IT costs.

• Remote counseling, program intake, and data reporting returned to full functionality.