New Ground Inc

THE FAMILIES
New Ground identifies, screens, and then works intensely with families at risk. Coupled with long-term, affordable, low-income housing, New Ground ensures that the entire family’s basic nutritional and physical needs are met. Additionally, educational, vocational and mental health support is provided through intensive social work and advocacy.

The hope of breaking the cycle of homelessness lies in working with both the children and adults. To do this, New Ground focuses on education in both the traditional and nontraditional sense as this proves to be the way out of poverty. Our motto is We Educate, We Empower!

THE CHILDREN
Part of breaking the cycle of homelessness lies in catering to the children, therefore New Ground focuses on the needs and issues of the children in these families. It is a priority at New Ground to ensure that each child is provided with direct and indirect educational advocacy, empowering the parent to advocate for their child while the child is given the opportunity to reach her/his full academic potential. When accepted into the program, children are provided academic tutoring tailored to each child’s individual needs. The children are also assessed psychologically and academically when necessary to see if learning disabilities are present in order to guarantee academic success. It is our aim to place all New Ground children in the educational settings best suiting their needs, where the focus is on academic achievement whenever possible. Other education programs created to ensure academic success include the Reading All-Stars Program both onsite and in the homes through the new At Home Computer Enhanced Reading Program for those children living too far to commute, and the Education Assistance Program.

Because the children in our program have experienced devastation well beyond their years, New Ground also meets the children’s social needs and creates positive childhood memories by providing the opportunity for each child to attend summer camp as well as other social/educational programs. One such program is “Getting Focused”, which teaches children the art of photography through learning how to use cameras, working with both digital imaging and film. Throughout the year, New Ground places much effort into helping families celebrate holidays and creating a positive atmosphere within the home which matches the families’ culture and beliefs through our Special Memories Program.

THE PARENTS
The parents in our program also benefit from our educational advocacy and other services. Through intensive case management, the professional Social Work staff of New Ground meet our adults where they are, assess all of the possible issues preventing them from achieving independence, and begin working on them one by one to eliminate them. Parents receive guidance and resources to address financial and budgetary needs, parenting skills, nutritional issues, medical and mental health problems, landlord – tenant challenges, and much more. The adults in the program are assisted with returning to school to obtain GED’s, Associate Degrees, Bachelor Degrees, and/or vocational training certifications to increase their earning potential and secure a higher paying position. Adults in school avail themselves of the tutoring program and through the Education Assistance Program, receive financial assistance towards transportation, daycare, and other such barriers that would otherwise prevent their attendance of academic programs.

With the intensive work of the New Ground Social Workers, the expertise of the Education Coordinator and the commitment and motivation of our families, success is achieved and families find a future of independent living and self-sufficiency that otherwise would never have been possible.