Red Shield Family Residence

"The Red Shield Family Residence's overall program is designed to help people break out of the sort of "conspiracy" of circumstances and choices that led to their end predicament of homelessness. The typical service package delivered to a client at the Red Shield Family Residence includes:

* decent, safe, drug-free lodging
* 3 nutritious meals a day
* health care (weekly on-site clinic, operated by Philadelphia Health Services)
* individual case work/plan
* drug/alcohol counseling
* child care
* life skills workshops (eg. budgeting, nutrition, stress management, etc.)
* job placement
* parenting skills education
* Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) courses
* literacy/computer literacy courses
* information/referrals
* sexual/child abuse prevention workshops
* intensive "aftercare" support after graduation from the program
* referral to a broad network of other Salvation Army services and programs

The Child Care and Parenting Program is a unique feature of this shelter program and an essential component of the overall recovery approach. The Salvation Army operates a day and evening child care center that provides critically needed care for the children, who are facing the uncertainties, setbacks, fears, and stresses involved in homelessness. Provision of child care also enables the parents to invest themselves in: searches for employment and permanent living arrangements; medical or social service appointments; parenting education and life skills sessions; literacy or drug/alcohol recovery programs; classes at Community College of Philadelphia and other institutions; and emotional / physical respites from the sometimes overwhelming responsibility of caring for their children. The parenting education curriculum supports parents in learning how to nurture and effectively discipline their children through nonviolent, age-appropriate management techniques. One notable goal of these sessions is to prevent child abuse, as many of our adult residents are in need of supportive educational intervention."