MENTORING PROGRAM
An important component of Harbor Hope Center’s Host Home Program is mentoring by Host Home providers and other volunteers. At-risk students often come from families where poverty, illness, and substance abuse are complicating factors. We believe that housing is the first step toward security. Having caring individuals providing a relational pathway to success is the next step toward long-term thriving.
In certain cases, these youth have been abandoned. A lack of parental oversight takes its toll on these children. The challenge of parenting is often complicated by other significant factors like poverty, illness and substance abuse. Harbor Care Center works to provide counseling, meals, transportation, clothing and relational support that leads to successful student outcomes.
Today our society suffers from a fatherless epidemic. Forty-three percent of children in the US are brought up in fatherless homes. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 90% of homeless and run-away children come from fatherless homes. A child living in a fatherless home is at significantly increased risk to homelessness and other serious problems.
FACTS AND STATISTICS
For these reasons, Harbor Care Center Host Homes also include a focus on an education, life skills development and mentoring programs designed to help students feel loved, become self-sufficient and competent to care for themselves upon graduation. This is their only hope of breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness.
Children living in female-headed homes with no spouse present have a poverty rate of 47.6%. This is four times higher than children living in married couple families.
(US Department of Health and Human Services 2012)71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.
(National Principals Association Report)85% of youth in prison are from fatherless homes.
(Fulton County Georgia jail populations, Texas Department of Corrections, 1992)63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes, five times the average.
(US D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census)Children are nine times more likely to be raped or sexually abused in a home without a biological father.
(1988 National Health Interview Survey, National Center for Health Statistics National Center for Health Statistics, (NCHS), (CDC).)70% of teen pregnancies happen in fatherless homes.
(David T. Lykken, “Reconstructing Fathers”, American Psychologist 55, 681,681, 2000)85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average.
(Center for Disease Control)In 2008, a conservative estimate of the US direct cost of fatherless families was $99.8 billion per year.
(The Costs of Father Absence www.fatherhood.org 2008 National Fatherhood Initiative)
HOST HOME
Learn about our Host Home Program and how you can help provide a safe and stable environment for at-risk homeless youth to learn and thrive.
MENTORING
Our mentorship program focuses on helping students and parents develop key life skills allowing them to become self-sufficient and thrive after graduation.
TRANSPORTATION
To help homeless students maintain their daily commitments, our volunteers provide rides to school, appointments, and activities.
CLOTHING
For many of these children, buying clothing is a financial burden. We provide clean, wearable clothing to make student success more likely.
FOOD
Aiming to work collaboratively with other not-for-profit organizations, our food program is designed to fill social service gaps and end hunger in our community.
CHANGE A LIFE TODAY
It is our mission to ensure that no neighbor is left with unmet needs. Your contribution to Harbor Hope Center helps to support our efforts in improving the lives of homeless youth in our community.