Our Mission

Providing a life-changing solution for situational homelessness

Entryway is a national 501(c)3 organization that transitions individuals and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness to economic self-sufficiency by providing career training, full-time employment and housing opportunities in partnership with the real estate industry.

Core Values

Entryway’s core values create a framework for organization wide actions. These values guide everything we do, including how we interact with our program participants, how we interact with our partners and community, and how we interact with our colleagues. As we grow, our processes and strategies may change, but these values will remain the same.

  • Humility

    “Humility is the foundation of all virtues, for it allows us to approach every situation with an open mind and a willingness to learn from others.” – Marcus Aurelius

At Entryway, we recognize there are always challenges ahead to tackle and as an organization we approach those challenges from a posture of learning and humility. We will be respectful of everyone and listen to their unique voice and opinion. We treat others how we would want to be treated. We will do our work with an attitude of service and display quiet confidence to further advance our mission.

Questions We Ask Ourselves

  • Do you treat participants, donors, industry partners, community members and colleagues with an equal amount of respect?
  • Are you always the first to speak or do you pause to let others go first?
  • Are you open to learning from others recognizing you may not always have the right or best answer?

Sample Behaviors

  • Respectful of everyone regardless of their position or influence
  • Listens before being heard
  • Asks questions and seeks input to learn from others
  • Innovation

    “To be a truly creative company, you must start things that might fail.” — Ed Catmull

Entryway has the flexibility and size to be malleable in its solutions to addressing homelessness and providing economic sustainability. Being a learning organization is vital for our growth and ability to serve our participants. Each day we learn more about the industry we partner with and the needs of our participants. This allows us to pilot new solutions and best serve the situationally homeless and at-risk population.

Questions We Ask Ourselves

  • Do you take the time to ask questions of your stakeholders to ensure we are serving all parties best?
  • Do you take the time to review your strategies to confirm they are truly serving your stakeholders?
  • Are you open to new methods, ideas and willing to try and fail when necessary?

Sample Behaviors

  • Always be creating
  • Be flexible and have an open mind in your solutions
  • Yearn to learn!
  • Outcomes Driven

    “You can’t improve what you don’t measure.” – Peter Drucker

Entryway is a results-focused organization utilizing resources, time, and actions prudently. Entryway prioritizes measuring for impact to inform strategies and initiatives to best serve at-risk individuals and families and our employment partners.

Questions We Ask Ourselves

  • Do you continuously measure the effectiveness of programmatic initiatives to ensure positive outcomes for the individual, the employer, and the community sector?
  • Do you prioritize tracking and reviewing data regularly to find trends that inform what is and is not working?

Sample Behaviors

  • Diligently track and report program data
  • Measure qualitative and quantitative data to show impact
  • Be flexible and creative to ensure resources are best utilized for obtaining desired outcomes and results
  • Collaboration

    “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

At Entryway working together internally across teams and externally with our partners and stakeholders is the secret sauce to reaching our goals and purpose. Our organization was founded and built on collaborative partnerships with community agencies, real estate companies, corporate sponsors, volunteers, program participants, and teamwork among staff. Collaboration is in the DNA of our organization and fuels our ability to successfully achieve our mission.

Questions We Ask Ourselves

  • Are you open and available to team members to assist with questions, share best practices, offer support and ideas without a condescending or critical nature?
  • Do you seek out diverse partnerships to advance mutually beneficial goals together?
  • Do you appreciate the views and skills that others have to offer and actively pursue input from various perspectives and stakeholders?

Sample Behaviors

  • Accept and build on the ideas of others
  • Agree on shared goals
  • Be willing to give more than you get

The Story of Entryway

Timeline

2014-2015

Shelters to Shutters(S2S) is founded by Chris Finlay, who pilots the program in his own company, Middleburg Communities, in Charlotte, NC and Nashville, TN.

2015-2016

As a 501(c)3 organization, S2S partners with multiple local shelters and nonprofits to identify individuals ready to work in need of a hand up. Program is opened to additional like-minded multifamily industry companies to receive candidate referrals in exchange for employment and housing opportunities.

2017-2018

S2S is named National Multifamily Housing Council’s designated charity. Recruitment of industry and non-profit partners increases threefold.

2018 – 2019

S2S begins Hiring Events in multiple cities to accelerate placements and assist in breaking stigma of homelessness for program participants. S2S launches City Advisory Boards in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Nashville and Washington, DC.

2020 – 2021

COVID-19 pandemic places program on hold and results in change of strategic direction for the organization. S2S moves to a decentralized model. Local Executive Directors are hired on the ground in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Nashville and Washington, DC. National program and development staff are put in place.

2022 – 2023

S2S expands into Central Florida, Greater Phoenix, Charleston and North Texas led by local Executive Directors and City Advisory Boards. Program adds robust pre-employment training, job coaching, and post-hire mentorship opportunities for participants. S2S pilots maintenance and leasing training programs in Charleston and Orlando.

March 2023

Program reaches over 500 individuals moved out of homelessness through employment and housing opportunities.

June 7, 2023

Shelters to Shutters rebrands to Entryway. Same mission with a new name to position the organization for further growth of services, participants served, industry partnerships and expansion footprint.

August 2023

Entryway launches in Denver.

October 2023

Entryway launches in Philadelphia.

March 2024

Entryway launches in Central Texas.