Opportunity House

Opportunity House is a multi-service organization that improves the quality of life for children, families and adults who face various obstacles to independence, and supports their efforts to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency and well-being. The adults and children served byOpportunity House in Reading, Pennsylvania (Berks County) have varied needs -some are homeless, yet surprisingly to most, the majority are not. However, there are commonalities that link nearly all of these families and individuals. They are labeled as "low-income" or "living below the poverty level" by government standards. They are deemed "at-risk" of increased violence in the home and in the community, continued dependence on government assistance, increased teen-age pregnancy, and decreased educational achievement. At the most basic level, they are in a day-to-day struggle to provide for themselves and their families. All of these factors make it difficult to stop the cycle of generational poverty and dependence they have learned in their youth from the adults around them. They can not see the ramifications today's choices have on tomorrow because they are too worried about making it through today. Opportunity House encourages the men, women and children they serve in every program to improve their quality of life so that they can begin to focus on tomorrow. This is accomplished through the following services: Around-the-clock childcare services at the Second Street Learning Center for over 300 children living in our community between the ages of six-weeks and 13-years. Shelter services that include case management, goal-planning, life skills instruction and aftercare services as well as a safe place to sleep, eat and shower for families and individuals who have no where else to turn to in a moment of crisis. Transitional and Permanent Housing programs for families and individuals. Transitional housing for families who have successfully completed the shelter programs but are in need of "hands-on" training before they can ...