Pew Announces More Than $7.1 Million to Support The Philadelphia Region's Most Vulnerable Adults

The Pew Charitable Trusts announced today that it will provide $7,168,000 over the next three years to 45 Philadelphia-area organizations that serve some of the region's most vulnerable adults. These agencies help low-income individuals with limited education and work skills to obtain competitive employment; expand the availability of proven treatment approaches for persons with serious mental illness or substance abuse; and ensure a comprehensive array of services for adults with multiple needs, thereby enhancing their prospects for greater independence.

The awards are being provided through the Pew Fund for Health and Human Services in Philadelphia.

“More than ever, these times call for strategic, nimble organizations that are committed to high-quality services for those who require extra support,” said Frazierita Klasen, director of the Pew Fund. “The Philadelphia region is fortunate to have so many organizations that are up to the task of addressing today's needs, many of them offering creative approaches to long-standing problems.”

The funds will support agencies in helping more than 8,000 individuals strengthen their educational and work skills, enhancing their ability to obtain jobs.  Nearly 8,800 people will receive behavioral health assistance and almost 50,000 will receive help in gaining access to much needed public benefits and services. 

Among the programs funded are:

• 11 that help adults and youth obtain and keep competitive employment. Among these are the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Roots to Reentry initiative, which provides nonviolent ex-offenders with training and job placement in the landscaping industry, and Philadelphia Youth for Change Charter School's skills training program for high school dropouts.
• 11 that improve behavioral health outcomes for at-risk populations, such as Family Services of Montgomery County's Jaisohn Center Mental Health Project, which provides culturally-appropriate services to the Korean community.  This group also includes Philadelphia FIGHT's Diana Baldwin Clinic, which provides support to persons with HIV/AIDS who also have mental health or substance abuse problems.
• 23 that increase the independence of adults with complex needs.  They include LIFT Philadelphia, which trains college student volunteers to help low-income individuals find jobs, secure safe and stable housing, obtain public benefits and other resources; the Unemployment Information Center, which assists Philadelphians who have lost their jobs to avoid mortgage foreclosure, access health care and look for new work opportunities; and Project HOME, which provides supports ranging from street outreach to social services and housing to the chronically homeless.

The full 2011 grants listing for programs serving vulnerable adults in the region is below. (All organizations are located in Philadelphia, unless otherwise noted.)

The Pew Fund, part of The Pew Charitable Trusts' Philadelphia Program, provides support for health and human service nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia and neighboring Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. The fund serves three at-risk populations: vulnerable adults; the isolated and frail elderly; and disadvantaged children, youth and their families. 

2011 Grants

Organizations assisting vulnerable adults to obtain and retain competitive employment:

AHEDD (Camp Hill, PA)
$181,000 over three years
For continued support to facilitate employment for young adults with disabilities in southeastern Pennsylvania. 

American National Red Cross - Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter
$200,000 over three years
For continued support of the Nurse Assistant Training program.

CareLink Community Support Services (Eddystone, PA)
$147,000, over three years
For continued support of the Career Services Program for people with mental illness in Chester and Delaware counties.

Delaware County Community College Educational Foundation (Media, PA)
$115,000, over three years
For continued support of New Choices, which provides job counseling, training and placement assistance to low-income individuals in Chester and Delaware counties.

Impact Services Corporation
$150,000, over two years
To provide job placement and case management support for ex-offenders.

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
150,000, over three years
For support of the Roots to Reentry Job Training and Placement Program.

Philadelphia Youth for Change Charter School (YouthBuild Philadelphia)
$225,000, over three years
For support of the Specialty Track program to provide high-school dropouts with vocational training and job placement assistance.

Public Health Management Corporation
$200,000, over three years
For support of the Pennsylvania Academic and Career Technical Training Alliance, helping youth in the Philadelphia region to make a successful transition from detention back to their communities.

Resources for Human Development
$126,000, over three years
For continued support of the Clearinghouse for Employing the Homeless.

University City District
$168,000, over three years
For support of the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, to provide training and employment to low-income individuals.

Women's Opportunities Resource Center
$200,000, over three years
For continued operating support to offer small-business training and related support to low-income women.

Improving behavioral health outcomes: 

ActionAIDS
$210,000, over three years
For continued support of behavioral health services for individuals with HIV/AIDS.

Central Montgomery Mental Health/Mental Retardation Center (Norristown, PA)
$80,000, over two years
For continued support of Project Connect, to link individuals with serious mental illness to needed supports.

Crime Victims Center of Chester County (West Chester, PA)
$150,000, over three years
For continued operating support to provide supportive services to victims of sexual assault and abuse and other serious crimes.

Delaware County Women Against Rape (Media, PA)
$95,000, over three years
For continued operating support to provide comprehensive services to victims of violent crimes.

Esperanza Health Center
$170,000, over three years
For support of behavioral health consultation services for low-income residents in North Philadelphia.

Family Service Association of Bucks County (Langhorne, PA)
$200,000, over three years
For continued support to enhance services for persons with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders.

Family Services of Montgomery County PA (Eagleville, PA)
$158,000, over three years
For support of the Jaisohn Center Korean Mental Health Project.

Philadelphia FIGHT
$180,000, over three years
For continued support of the Diana Baldwin Clinic, which provides behavioral health services to persons with HIV/AIDS.

Public Health Management Corporation
$215,000, over three years
For continued support of comprehensive health care for chronically homeless adults.

Resources for Human Development
$214,000, over three years
For support of the Family Practice and Counseling Network's peer-services health project.

Women Against Abuse
$184,000, over three years
For continued support to provide behavioral health services to victims of domestic violence living in its shelter.

Increasing the independence of those with complex needs:

AchieveAbility
$180,000, over three years
For continued support to provide education and employment services for formerly homeless single parents. 

Bethesda Project
$237,000, over three years
For continued operating support to provide services to chronically homeless individuals.

Calcutta House
$140,000, over three years
For continued operating support of a personal-care home for individuals who are homeless and who have AIDS.

Career Wardrobe
$95,000, over three years
For continued operating support to provide workplace attire and life-skills classes to women entering the workforce.

Community Learning Center
$105,000, over three years
For continued support to provide information, referral and counseling to adult basic education students.

Community Women's Education Project
$150,000, over three years
For continued operating support to provide education and social services to low-income, unskilled women.

Domestic Violence Center of Chester County (West Chester, PA)
$121,000, over three years
For continued support of services to victims of domestic violence in Chester County. 

Family and Community Service of Delaware County (Media, PA)
$135,000, over three years
For continued support of the Ralph Moses House, which provides services to formerly homeless men living with HIV/AIDS.

HIAS and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia
$150,000, over three years
For support of legal services to low-income Latino immigrants.

Homeless Advocacy Project
$99,000, over three years
For continued support of legal assistance to homeless individuals.

Horizon House
$180,000, over three years
For continued support to assist adults with serious mental illness to receive technical certifications or college degrees.

Inglis Foundation
$197,000, over three years
For support of the Inglis Computing Project to enhance the independence and productivity of individuals with serious disabilities. 

Interim House
$158,000, over three years
For continued support of its Job Readiness Program for women who are recovering from serious substance abuse problems.

La Comunidad Hispana (Kennett Square, PA)
$168,000, over three years
For continued operating support to provide social, health, education and other supportive services to low-income Latinos.

LIFT (Washington, DC)
$100,000, over three years
For support of LIFT Philadelphia to assist low-income individuals to secure the community resources needed to increase their independence.

Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance
$149,000, over three years
For continued support to provide nutrition counseling and meals for people with chronic or serious illnesses.

People's Emergency Center
$140,000, over three years
To continue the Job Opportunities and Business Skills program for low-income individuals, including those who are homeless, in Philadelphia. 

Project HOME
$297,000, over three years
For continued support to provide comprehensive services to people who are homeless.

Temple University
$116,000, over three years
For continued support of the Legal Advocacy for Patients Program for low-income people with chronic or terminal illness. 

Trevor's Campaign (Springfield, PA)
$75,000, over three years
For continued support of Project SUCCESS, to assist homeless women in moving toward independent living.

Unemployment Information Center
$110,000, over three years
For continued operating support to provide assistance to unemployed individuals.

VNA Community Services (Abington, PA)
$175,000, over three years
For continued support of the Montgomery County Personal Navigator Program to assist low-income adults to apply for and obtain public support.

Women's Community Revitalization Project
$173,000, over three years
For continued support to provide case management and other supportive services to women living in its affordable rental housing units.