In October 2003, Zara Babitzke, MA (also the creator of AHO Project), designed and implemented the first housing program for young adults 18 to 22 years exiting foster care and residential placement in Marin County. This program, the Hamilton Transitional Housing Program, was the first of it’s kind in the county. Zara also created the first “bridge program," a readiness for independent living program for Sunny Hills residents so they could transition successfully to independent living. 

In January 2005 this program, the only one in Marin County designed to prevent homelessness of young adults 18 to 22 aging out of foster care and/or residential placement was cut, thus ending the capacity to assist a population of 265 homeless youth in this crucial transition to adulthood. Youth at 18, without family or a permanent home, are the fastest, largest growing homeless population in Marin County in the nation.

On January 21, 2005 the Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity Project (AHO) was founded to address this critical need, and the Articles of Incorporation for a nonprofit California corporation were certified. AHO is the only non-profit in Marin whose total focus is youth ages 16 to 25.

The mission of AHO is to provide stable housing opportunities, guidance (with mentor and peer partners) and community connections for the broad spectrum of youth who are homeless, (including young adults leaving residential placement and/or foster care) in Marin County .