1. Celebrating Father Joe’s 20 Years Of Service at St. Vincent de Paul Village
2. Villages Provide Children A Continuum of Care, Too
3. St. Vincent de Paul Village Thrift Store/Warehouse Auction Centers Directory
4. Father’s Joe’s Villages® 2003 at a Glance

Villages Provide Children A Continuum of Care, Too

By Barbara Hagey - Special to Village News

Pre-School graduates

   We’ve all heard the saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This is the motivation behind the wide range of children’s services at Father Joe’s Villages®, referred to collectively as the “Kids Continuum of Care.”

   In the 1980s, the slowing economy hit working families living on the edge of poverty and the Village began to see a growing number of families and single parents with kids. It looked at the situation, and worked out ways to meet the changing needs of the homeless.

   The kids continuum has something for all ages, from prenatal through teens. It is designed to break the cycle of homelessness by providing the assistance these kids need but often do not receive. The services are quite comprehensive. Some promote learning and good study habits, others focus on social skills and self-esteem. Several address specific problem areas found in high-risk populations, and some, like summer Camp St. Vinny’s, allow kids to have fun just being kids.

   Before a child is born, a mother at the Villages in Indio and San Diego has access to ob/gyn care, prenatal classes, and if needed, special tests and treatments. Well-baby care is provided after the child is born. At Martha’s Village & Kitchen, a brand-new Therapeutic Nursery program includes parenting classes that support a healthy parent/child attachment, as well as an infant developmental assessment. This assessment reviews family risk factors like inadequate prenatal care or drug abuse and evaluates the infant in light of these factors. Customized developmental benchmarks are identified for the child so problems can be diagnosed early when treatment is most effective.

   Project Safe Child at St. Vincent de Paul Village screens young children for developmental delays and offers the opportunity for placement in Early Start, Head Start or the Regional Center for Developmentally Disabled, as needed. Like Therapeutic Nursery, this program is designed to catch problems early and gives children an early boost toward making the most of their lives. It is the only program of its kind in the nation at a homeless shelter.

   The Child Development program provides licensed daycare and preschool for young children while their parents work or attend classes. The Family Literacy
Program models healthy family interaction with story time and art projects for kids and parents to enjoy together. After School programs provide one-on-one literacy and homework tutoring as well as fun activities like art, music, recreation, and even a pet therapy program called Paws and Hearts. Rap Sessions for adolescent boys and girls address self-esteem and social issues of concern to teens. Character development and social skills are an integral part of the curriculum for all age groups.

   The Toussaint Teen Center houses teens and prepares them for independent living. Rick Newmyer, TTC’s program manager, shares a recent statistic. “The average age a young adult achieves independence in the United States today is 27. It’s our job to take TTC teens, who are disadvantaged to begin with, and accomplish this by their 18th birthday.” TTC’s Life Skills program includes classes ranging from practical skills like managing a personal budget, job interviewing, or cooking to ‘soft skills’ like conflict resolution and healthy relationships. Other classes include art, music, physical education, and spirituality.

   The kid’s continuum represents an extraordinary breadth of services, helping children at the Villages – even before they are born – have a better life.