The pregnant women who come to Visitation House struggle with a number of issues resulting in physical, emotional, and psychological illness. Many are in recovery from substance abuse or have experienced domestic violence.
Although some are receiving support services from area agencies and organizations targeting these issues, there is a further need for women-centered programming that directly addresses women’s issues, building their self-esteem and assisting them in becoming better equipped to care for themselves and their infants.
In addition, there is a need to encourage and support them in exploring further education, training, and job readiness, guiding them towards healthy, independent living.
Who we serve
We serve homeless, low-income women, 18 years of age or older, with unplanned pregnancies. These women are some of the most vulnerable members of the community.
We also provide support to former residents.
Objectives
We are in our 15th year of operation and, since opening, we have assisted over 300 families. We are able to accommodate 12 women at any given time. Our goal is to provide practical educational opportunities to our residents to help them become competent and caring mothers and to continue offerings to residents who may still need supportive programming upon leaving Visitation House.
Our objective, in addition to providing basic needs (i.e. food, clothing, and housing), is to create a comprehensive Life Skills program with sessions that enhance the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of our residents, assisting them in their self-care and increasing the personal skills they need to provide better care to their infants.