Horizons magazine is published by Presbyterian Women (PW) the national women’s organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Issue link: http://horizons.epubxp.com/i/481579
16 rescued, I would have lost my job and perhaps my beautiful daughter, too. I am grateful to PCHAS for giving me a safe place to live and for treating me with dignity." Women participating in the Sin- gle Parent Family Program typically stay from 9 to 15 months as they work toward achieving personal goals and sustainable independence. Case managers help clients identify their own goals rather than setting goals for them. "At PCHAS, we believe that children and families deserve to have their voices heard. Our job is to help them identify their goals, the challenges they face and their strengths. We then walk beside them, listening carefully and patiently, and supporting them throughout this process," Ed Knight, PCHAS president and CEO, says. PCHAS offers its Single Parent Family Program in Houston, San Antonio, Weatherford and Waxa- hachie, Texas. In Houston, the pro- gram is housed on a large campus, complete with individual homes for each of the seven single moms and their children. More than a dozen Presbyterian churches joined together to build the campus, adjacent to St. John's Presbyterian Church. St. John's Presbyterian Church jumped at the chance to help and offered PCHAS a 50–year lease for $50. A member of the St. John's congregation, Mary Plail, serves as the program's assistant coordinator of volunteers. SINGLE PARENT FAMILY PROGRAM PROFILE D irec t o r Melis s a Jac k s o n S o c i a l wo r k e r M e l i s s a J a c k s o n s a y s t h a t a l l o f h e r wo r k e x p e r i e n c e s , a n d h e r r o l e a s a s i n g l e m o t h e r t o h e r t h r e e - y e a r - o l d d a u g h t e r , J o u r n e y , h a v e p r e p a r e d h e r f o r h e r r e s p o n s i b i l i - t i e s a s t h e d i r e c t o r o f P C H A S ' S i n g l e P a r e n t F a m i l y P r o g r a m i n H o u s t o n . O r i g i n a l l y f r o m t h e s o u t h s i d e o f C h i c a g o , M e l i s s a i s n o s t r a n g e r t o a d v e r s i t y . D e t e r m i n e d t o h e l p u n d e r - s e r v e d p o p u l a t i o n s , s h e e a r n e d b a c h e - l o r ' s a n d m a s t e r ' s d e g r e e s i n s o c i a l wo r k a n d h a s s i n c e wo r k e d wi t h a wi d e v a r i e t y o f c l i e n t s , i n c l u d i n g t h o s e who s u f f e r f r o m s u b s t a nc e a b u s e , m e nt a l i l l ne s s a nd ho m e l e s s ne s s . S he wa s a p r o b a t i o n o f f i c e r wi t h t he T hi r d J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t D r u g C o u r t P r o g r a m . " T hi s i s a u ni q u e p r o g r a m , b e i ng t ha t t he c a s e m a na g e r i s o n s i t e , " M e l i s s a s a y s a b o u t t he r e s i d e nt i a l c a m p u s . " E v e r y t hi ng i s p r o v i d e d t o he l p f a m i l i e s b e g i n a ne w j o u r ne y , t o b e g i n a ne w l i f e f o r t he m s e l v e s a nd t he i r f a m i l i e s . W e wi l l b e a b l e t o he l p t he s e f a m i l i e s no t j u s t s u r v i v e b u t - t hr i v e . T he c o m m u ni t y f o r m e d o n t hi s c a m p u s wi l l ha v e a p o s i t i v e e f f e c t l o ng a f t e r t he f a m i l i e s m o v e i nt o t he i r o wn ho m e s . " Melissa Jackson (left) and Celeste Ross, PCHAS regional director, welcomed guests to the opening of PCHAS Houston's Single Parent Family campus. Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services enjoys support from many in the community. From a generous lease agreement to time shared by volunteers, like those pictured here, the Single Parent Family Program and other PCHAS programs are growing.