Program Spotlight: North Point

“When they come through the door, in that moment, there is so much going on in their life that is all jumbled up in their head… you really don’t know where to start. North Point is where you can start over and find direction again.”

-Treveya Franklin, North Point Operations Manager

To most, FrontLine Service’s North Point is an unremarkable brick building along Superior Avenue, but for some, it is a safe harbor in a sea of doubt and a second chance to succeed.

North Point provides short-term, emergency housing and support for 100 adults and 50 young adults who need to get back on their feet. The program assists residents to achieve permanent housing and steady employment.

Individuals come to North Point from shelters, off the streets, or after being evicted. Wherever they come from, residents arrive in a survival mindset caused by the trauma they’ve experienced. North Point staff support residents as they override that survival mode and adjust to expecting employment, housing, and safety.

"So much has happened in the forefront that they can't reach out, and our staff build trust for them to shed their layers,” Treveya Franklin, North Point Operations Manager explains. “When a resident is angry, under their anger is hurt."

Sadie came to North Point after fleeing an abusive relationship. As a transgender woman, her primary focus was safety. Treveya asked Sadie which gendered floor she preferred to stay on and provided a single room until Sadie could be paired with a roommate she felt comfortable around.

North Point staff provided Sadie with bedding, hygiene items, and meals to meet her basic needs and help her move out of survival mode. Meeting residents’ basic needs is the first step toward larger conversations about employment and housing.

Danielle, Sadie’s assigned case manager, helped Sadie envision a hopeful future and identify the steps to achieve it. One of the first steps was connecting Sadie to therapy, so she could receive professional help processing the trauma she experienced. Although they only needed to meet weekly, Sadie and Danielle talked almost daily. She found comfort in talking not just about her plans for employment and housing, but more often just to chat.

For 60 days at North Point, Sadie did the hard work needed to reach her housing, employment, and mental health goals. A year later, Sadie is still living in her own apartment and working at a social service agency assisting people who are unhoused.

Sadie said the safety of North Point and the thoughtfulness of Treveya and her staff helped her reset the momentum of her life.

North Point is looking to link residents to available community services. If you are a service provider who would like to present your services to North Point residents, please contact Treveya Franklin at (216) 455-0095 x1312.