Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children Ribbon-cutting at the newly renovated Family Center
HELPING FAMILIES BATTLE HOMELESSNESS FOR OVER 200 YEARS
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Shannon Montgomery LL ACROSS AMERICA, FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING
with homelessness. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, adults and children in families make up around 30% of the homeless population. And the National Center on Family Homelessness reports that 2.5 million children — one in 30 — are homeless. Though it’s the wealthiest county in Pennsylvania, Chester County is not exempt from the family homelessness crisis. On any given night, over 400 individuals and families are experiencing homelessness in Chester County. This is due in large part to a lack of affordable housing — for every 100 extremely low-income rental households in Chester County, there are only 22 affordable and available rental homes. Rents in highly desirable Chester County are, sadly, too high for too many families. Fortunately, there are resources available for families in need. For over 200 years, Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children has been helping children and families find a safe place to stay.
ENDING FAMILY HOMELESSNESS With roots in the Quaker tradition, Friends Association was founded in 1822 by a group of abolitionist women to provide a
home for Philadelphia children who’d lost their parents, many of whom had escaped slavery. Though the organization has evolved through the centuries, its mission has always centered on the protection and welfare of children. In 2010, Friends Association shifted its focus entirely to ending family homelessness in Chester County. In the last fiscal year, they served 1,772 individuals across 640 families. What sets Friends Association apart from other organizations is their dedication to keeping families together. As Chief Development Officer David James explains, “In Chester County, not unlike anywhere else in the U.S., if a family is experiencing homelessness, they could be split up.” Mothers and young children typically go to family shelters, while fathers and adolescent boys (14 and older) may go to single-male shelters — and not necessarily the same one. To prevent this, Friends Association maintains a Family Center in West Chester. The center consists of six apartments, where entire families live together — the only shelter of its kind in Chester County. This includes any and all family structures, including single- and two-parent, multi-generational and LGBTQ+ families. “However you define family, we’ll support you,” says James. Families live independently in the Family Center for 90 to 120 days, working with their case manager to secure permanent housing, creCountyLinesMagazine.com | November 2023 | County Lines
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