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The Homes for the Homeless Program

Since the Shelter Program was created in 1993, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) has served over 1200 families living in transitional housing. In partnership with Homes for the Homeless, the Shelter Program is an intensive family-based learning program. The program balances an early childhood literacy program that supports young mothers as they gain confidence and parenting skills through a series of language, art, and music activities designed to prepare their children for pre-school and lifelong learning with a writing workshop that helps the mothers express themselves and work through the tremendous challenges they face daily.

The Shelter Program includes three distinct components: 1) developmentally appropriate early childhood educational activities focusing on literacy and hands-on arts projects; 2) a special parenting “breakout” session for others with a social worker and writer-in-residence and; 3) a hot lunch served family-style to the entire group. Incorporated into the three components of the program is a comprehensive early childhood curriculum based on national educational standards.

Through intimate hands-on arts and literacy-building activities, the Shelter Program strives to reach the following program goals:

· Build a foundation for reading by stimulating a love of books and language in children by impressing upon mothers the importance of regular reading sessions;

· Stimulate the children’s natural curiosity, creativity and desire to learn through creative play and art workshops;

· Provide support to parents struggling to raise their children in desperate circumstances;

· Offer a temporary respite from living in temporary housing by providing a safe environment for the mothers and their children.

To achieve program goals, sessions are offered once a week over 15 weeks in the spring and fall. Sessions last for 2 ½ hours and are facilitated by a social worker, a writer-in-residence and four CMOM early childhood educators. The first hour children and their mothers work together in the museum’s PlayWorks™ Early Childhood Classroom. As a family, they explore and participate in hands-on activities. The families then eat lunch together with the last forty-five minutes, parents participating in an intense group “rap session” with a social worker and private journaling that becomes the basis for an annual published poetry book. During this time, children visit CMOM’s exhibitions with the early childhood educators.

Program evaluations have demonstrated that the Shelter Program has made a significant impact on the mothers and children involved in the program. As noted by the program Director, the children’s progress has been significant and their developmental skills have improved. Educators have observed an increase in the children’s language, social and listening skills. At the completion of the program, children have learned to develop trusting relationships with adults and respond to new experiences with eagerness and a true love for learning and exploration. Evaluation findings show that the program is motivational and the transformation of both the children and their parents is remarkable.

There is nothing more powerful than helping someone feel that they have a voice in a world that can feel so large and unkind. The Shelter Program gives these women a chance to regain some courage and strength – skills that they will need as they tackle the challenges of parenthood. Young mothers participating in the program agree that the thought of being able to come to a place that is good for their child, as well themselves, is a gift they feel blessed to receive

Read poems written by participants