The Pathway to Permanence:

From Transition to Lasting Stability

Dear Friends,

I’m honored to share exciting news about an important step forward for Jubilee and the women we serve. This month, we are launching a new long-term affordable housing program for graduates and alumnae of Jubilee’s transitional housing program.

This is a meaningful evolution for Jubilee. For the first time, we are creating a true continuum of care—walking alongside women beyond transitional housing to support not only their exit from crisis, but also their path to lasting stability.

At Jubilee, our growth has always been guided by listening. One question has come up again and again as we listen to the women we serve: What happens after Jubilee?

Over the past year, many women in our program have shared the uncertainty they feel as they approach the end of their two years with us. While that milestone represents tremendous progress, it also means leaving behind the very things that have helped them succeed: community, support, and a sense of belonging. 

While independence and self-sufficiency remain our goal, we know that not every woman can—or should have to—take her next step alone. Not every woman can immediately afford market-rate housing. Not every woman wants to live alone in an apartment after finding connection and support at Jubilee. And not every woman will thrive long-term without skilled staff who know her, support her, and notice when something isn’t right.

So we asked ourselves: What if graduation didn’t mean goodbye? We took a deep look at Jubilee’s resources and explored how we could maximize their impact.

From there, our Pathway to Permanence initiative was born—a continuum-of-care model offering graduates of our transitional program a stable, affordable housing option where they can remain connected to community and caring staff. As a first step in this effort, we are converting Jubilee’s existing Martha’s House location from transitional to long-term housing. It is a beautiful, peaceful home with 11 bedrooms, located just a few blocks from Jubilee’s Main House.

This means that women who have worked hard to rebuild their lives can move forward without the uncertainty of housing waitlists or the fear of losing the community where they are known and valued. Because we know that stability doesn’t come from housing alone. It comes from belonging.

When we shared this vision with women nearing the completion of their two years with us, the response was deeply moving. Each story is unique, but the feeling was the same: relief. For one woman, it means she can finish school without fear of losing her home mid-semester. For another, it offers the stability needed to manage complex health needs and continue her healing journey.

For more than 40 years, Jubilee has walked alongside women through some of the most difficult moments of their lives—offering not just housing, but dignity, stability, and care rooted in relationship. This next chapter builds on that legacy, ensuring that the support we provide does not have to end at a fixed point in time, but continues in ways that reflect the real lives and needs of the women we serve. As we launch this new model, we are not stepping away from our mission—we are strengthening it.

Thank you for being part of Jubilee. Thank you for believing in a model of care that centers women’s needs. And thank you for helping us build a future where women don’t just recover from crisis but, have a place to truly call home. 

With gratitude,

Elisabeth Jarrard

Executive Director

About Martha's House

Jubilee acquired Martha's House in 2018 through the generosity of dedicated community supporters who believed in creating lasting opportunities for women seeking stability and a place to call home. The residence is named in honor of Martha Ries, whose life was taken by pancreatic cancer in 2016.

Martha was a proud mother, devoted wife, beloved family member, and accomplished professional who led with intelligence, compassion, and purpose. Throughout her life, she made a meaningful impact on the people and communities around her.

Today, her legacy lives on through Martha’s House. As the home of our new Pathway to Permanence program, it stands as a place of strength, dignity and inspiration—reflecting the kind of life and possibility the women at Jubilee are working toward every day.

ABOUT JUBILEE WOMEN’S CENTER

Jubilee Women’s Center, established in 1983, supports women experiencing poverty to build stable and fulfilling futures, one extraordinary woman at a time. Led by the guiding principle that women of all races and cultures are to be treated with respect and dignity, Jubilee provides programs and services that empower women to make positive life changes.