Item 5- Saint Louise House presentation — original pdf

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Quality Care for Children Overcoming Homelessness Melody Garcia, Director of Programs We empower women and their children to overcome homelessness for generations to come. Saint Louise House is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the success of wo m e n a n d t h e ir c h ild r e n m o vin g fr o m h o m e le s s n e s s t o h e a lt h y in d e p e n d e n t liv e s . Ou r o r ga n iza t io n a l va lu e s o f Em p o we r m e n t , Ho p e , Gr o wt h Min d s e t , Co m m it m e n t , Hu m ilit y a n d Effe c t ive n e s s d r ive o u r p r o gr a m m o d e l o f in t e n s e p a r t n e r s h ip . Our Approach Ho u sin g Pa rt n e rsh ip Wra p a rou n d Se rvice s Saint Louise House provides 46 families safe, stable housing in two complexes in South Austin. Rents are subsidized so that families start out paying only $50 a month for the first year. With this stable housing, families can confidently take steps toward their goals. Every mother finds a partner on her journey toward stability through weekly meetings with a staff social worker who supports her in identifying her own strengths and learning to leverage her strengths to achieve her goals. Empowerment Partners connect families to resources for education and employment and building skills such as parenting, financial literacy, and more. Saint Louise House provides mothers and children highly individualized support for meeting basic needs, accessing community resources, and achieving their goals. Services include life skills workshops, children’s activities supporting social and emotional development, and direct support such as a food pantry, bus passes and flexible funds. The Importance of the Two-Gen Approach Our Impact Ho u sin g Pa rt n e rsh ip Wra p a rou n d Se rvice s • Consistent Environment: Stable housing provides a reliable and safe space, essential for the emotional security of young children. • Lower Stress Levels: Financially stable housing allows parents to focus more on their children's development rather than financial worries. • Enhanced Parenting: Social • Basic Needs Support: Access to workers help mothers improve their parenting skills, directly benefiting the early childhood development of their children. • Resource Connection: Families gain access to resources for better childcare, early education, and health services, fostering early development. essentials like food and transportation ensures young children's nutritional and daily needs are met. • Developmental Activities: Programs focused on social and emotional growth cater specifically to the developmental stages of children under 5. • Continuity in Care: Reduces the • Empowered Mothers: Supportive • Personalized Assistance: need for frequent moves, ensuring uninterrupted care and consistent developmental support. partnerships boost parental confidence and stability, creating a nurturing environment for young children. Individualized services help address and support unique developmental challenges, promoting early intervention and growth. Exa m p le o f t wo -ge n a p p r o a c h : empower parents to succeed in the workforce e n s u r e c h ild r e n a r e h e a lt h y, h a p p y, a n d p r e p a r e d fo r a c a d e m ic a n d life s u c c e s s . a n d Families reside in fully-furnished two -bedroom apartments in agency-owned complexes in South Austin, with heavily subsidized rent to ensure stability. • Weekly meetings with Empowerment Partners, staff • Parenting support focuses on the Nurturing social workers, who employ a solution-focused approach to assist mothers in identifying strengths and setting achievable goals. Parenting approach, offering group workshops, one- on-one coaching, and access to parenting resource centers. • Empowerment Partners connect families to • Wraparound services are tailored to meet the community resources for healthcare, education, employment, and other needs. • Additional services include life skills workshops, children’s activities supporting social and emotional development, and flexible funds to support goal progress. • Families receive support for accessing high-quality childcare, parental education, and wraparound services, facilitated by a Family and Child Support Specialist (FCSS). unique needs of each family, addressing issues such as domestic violence, special needs, counseling, food insecurity, workforce development, legal services, and extracurricular activities. • Mentoring support for children is provided through partnerships with organizations like Friends of the Children, Breakthrough Austin, Boys and Girls Clubs, and internal mentoring programs. Strategic Partnerships for Sp ecialized Care At Saint Louise House, we focus on providing unique support services that only we can offer while intentionally partnering with organizations that specialize in areas beyond our core capabilities. This approach ensures high-quality, comprehensive care and avoids duplication of efforts. By collaborating with experts, we enhance our services for children under 5, ensuring they receive the best possible start in life. Here are a couple of our key partners: • Any Baby Can: Specializes in early childhood intervention and provides tailored developmental services to young children. • Travis County Integral Care: Offers mental health services and support for young children, addressing their emotional and psychological development needs. of Children at Saint Louise House are under the age of 5. Thank you for your interest in learning more ab out our efforts. Questions?