About Us
Mission & History
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 by Opportunity 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
successfully move back into the community. Permanent housing for
individuals with disabilities that limit their ability to become
truly independent, but who need a permanent alternative to living in
a shelter setting.
History
 The Reading
Emergency Shelter first opened its door to the homeless in
November, 1984. Operating under the umbrella of Reading Urban
Ministry, the original goal of the Shelter was to provide a warm and
safe haven for homeless men to sleep during the winter.
For the first two years of its
existence, the Shelter operated in the basement of several local
churches. Staffed by volunteers from these churches, the Shelter
provided an evening meal and breakfast for up to 25 men. It was open
in the evenings from November 1st through March 31st.
In 1986, a building was purchased
at 430 North Second Street and, with a combination of government
funds and community support, was renovated and opened November 1,
1987. Meals were, and still are to the present day, prepared each
evening by volunteer groups from local businesses and churches.
Staffing consisted of two part-time paid positions and a volunteer
staff. The newly renamed Reading-Berks Emergency
Shelter was then able to accommodate 100 men and 44 women and
children.
As the needs of the homeless
continued to change, Opportunity House expanded its services.
Opportunity House began to operate on a year-round basis and remained
open 24 hours per day during the winter. An on-site medical clinic,
staffed by volunteer physicians, opened to provide basic medical care
to guests.
From its inception though the
autumn of 1994 virtually all of the individuals who sought refuge at
the Shelter were men. Only a handful of women and children ever
lived there. Additionally, most of the individuals who sought shelter
did so in the winter months. While there would be over 100 people
staying there each evening during the winter, only 25-30 people would
stay at the Shelter during the remainder of the year.
However, a new trend began to
emerge during the winter of 1994-95. The shelter witnessed a
significant increase in the number of individuals being served. The
most significant increase was in the number of single women and
children. During that winter, the shelter averaged 20 women and 22
children each evening. This trend continues today.
In order to meet these challenges,
the shelter has expanded its facility and developed a wide array of
on-site services to give homeless families and adults an opportunity
to acquire the skills to achieve self-sufficiency; and, to work
pro-actively with community residents to help them maintain their
independence.
In 2003, the
organization became Opportunity House to better describe the hope and
multitude of programs that
the agency brings to the people of Berks County. A goal of Opportunity
House is to meet all unmet needs of the community and continue to
grow as the community grows.
Opportunity House is Today's Answer, Tomorrow's Hope.
Opportunity House is located in Reading, Pennsylvania and serves residents of Berks County. Our goal is to help families and adults become and remain independent members of our community.
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