We know that the journey home starts with stable housing, but that's just the beginning.

Through our Eviction Prevention Case Resolution program, Homelessness Prevention Program, Housing Navigation Services, and as a provider of funds through the Emergency Rent & Utility Assistance Program, Friend’s work is focused on preventing the trauma and lasting impact of homelessness from happening in the first place. Families have access to legal, financial, and relocation assistance, as well as case management to transition from a housing crisis to housing stability.

Housing is a basic human right. Our Family Center Emergency Housing and NIA House Diversionary Reentry Home for Women provides this most basic human right – a home that becomes a sanctuary on a family’s journey to permanent housing.  The Family Center is the only low-barrier family shelter in Chester County to provide housing for entire families, including single moms and dads, two-parent, multi-generational, grandparent, LGBTQ+ families and families with adolescent boys.  A critical component of NIA House is reunifying women with their children or grandchildren after incarceration.  These programs offer a holistic solution to homelessness and our housing model guarantees a right fit for a family.

We know that support and programming after shelter help families remain housed.  The Home 2 Stay graduate program provides continued case management support, comprehensive guidance, and resources to empower families and reduce the risk of a family’s return to homelessness.  Our goal is to help families not only obtain housing but to keep it.

Our Peer Support Program helps our neighbors in laying the foundation for the four dimensions of recovery:  Health, Home, Community, and Purpose by providing mutually supportive services by a professional with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use.