Gainesville Housing Authority residents can get household items and appliances by engaging
An incentive store has been launched to get more Gainesville Housing Authority residents engaged with activities and services provided by the agency.
The GHA hosted the grand opening of its Home Goods Re-Sale Store on Jan. 23 at its headquarters at 1900 SE Fourth St.
The store will serve as an incentive store to encourage residents to participate in GHA’s activities in exchange for household items, said Sheila Bryant, a grant administrative assistant in GHA's resident services department.
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“This is our way of getting resident engagement,” Bryant said.
Bryant said residents will receive GHA bucks when they participate in events hosted by the agency. When residents receive a certain amount of GHA bucks, they will have the opportunity to exchange them for kitchen appliances, cleaning supplies, bathroom supplies, bedroom furniture and home accessories.
“You can get a house, but residents need items to make it a home,” said Angela Tharpe, chair of the GHA board of directors. “The items will help their home feel nurturing. This is exciting.”
GHA will offer program points for residents who complete activities in four categories: education, employment, financial and housing, Bryant said.
“We call it an incentive store because it incentivizes residents to take advantage of the opportunities the Gainesville Housing Authority is giving them,” said Pamela Davis, chief executive officer of the agency.
Residents earn 20 points if they attend educational workshops, work readiness workshops and financial literacy empowerment workshops.
Residents earn 50 points when they complete their resume, provide a completion of their budget and open a checking and savings account. They earn 75 points if they complete an education assessment with a resident services specialist and complete University of Florida’s employability courses.
Residents earn 100 points when they complete a Santa Fe College assessment, attend a job fair and complete an on-time rental payment and an increasing amount of points as they pertain to several other categories that include the maximum of 1,000 points for continuously holding down a job for one year.
Residents will receive 20 GHA bucks for 100 points, 30 GHA bucks for 250 points, 50 GHA bucks for 500 points, 80 GHA bucks for 750 points, 100 GHA bucks for 1,000 points, 120 GHA bucks for 1,250 points and 150 GHA bucks for 1,500 points.
“The store provides residents an opportunity to improve their well-being and to engage with their community,” Davis said. “This incentive can empower them to participate.”
Bryant said the store will be open twice a week and the GHA staff is finalizing the times of operation.
“This is an amazing incentive for residents and gives them an opportunity to be educated through our workshops and come to a location on-site to be given the items they need," Bryant said. "We want to help them become self-sufficient.”
Bryant said GHA is accepting donations for the Home Goods Re-Sale Store.
Anyone who is interested in donating can email Freddie Jones at freddiej@gnvha.org or Bryant at sheilab@gnvha.org
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville Housing Authority residents will be able to earn GHA bucks
