|
|
March 9, 2001/Adar 14, 5761, Vol. 53, No.23
Local program makes lasting difference
ALISA BERMAN
Special Sections Editor
The calm exterior of a BHGH home belies its active inner life.
Photo by Mark Gluckman |
There is nothing - externally - to set this home apart from the other large houses on the block. Its stuccoed gray exterior has a stately air, yet blends easily with the rest of the neighborhood.
Inside, the spotless rooms are furnished with dark wood and blue tones. Potted plants and floral wall hangings provide a soothing, if not somewhat institutional, feel. The bright white halls are peppered with photos of active, smiling girls who grin widely from neatly hung frames.
Judging from outward appearances, this is either the residence of a very neat, all-girl family or a sorority house. Yet it's neither. It's a group home for exceptionally bright, at-risk children.
Phoenix is home to two of them - one for boys and one for girls - run by St. Louis-based Boys Hope/Girls Hope (BHGH), a 501(c)3 nonprofit offering live-in high school "scholarships" to both.
Boys Hope/Girls Hope was founded in 1975 by Father Paul Sheridan, a Jesuit. Sheridan had a vision of a group environment that could foster growth and success in at-risk boys who were otherwise academically capable.
Eventually BHGH expanded to include homes in 17 major U.S. cities as well as Guatemala, Brazil and Ireland.
The Phoenix Boys Hope home was founded in 1988; it was quickly complemented by a Girls Hope home in 1989. The boys home is equipped for eight boys and three residential counselors, or "houseparents." The girls home holds five girls and three houseparents.
BHGH is privately funded and independently operated by a local board of directors. Fund raising and recruiting efforts for BHGH Phoenix are locally supported as well.
Nationally, support comes from diverse sources - including Del Webb, the National Football League, the Anheuser-Busch Foundation and the Wells Fargo Foundation. Still, the needs of 13 local young men and women persist. A recent newsletter asked for donations of pots and pans, tools, a VCR and a car bike rack.
The children of BHGH
According to Phoenix BHGH Executive Director Amy Caffarello, an 'at-risk' environment is one "where there may be a broken home or an economically impoverished home." She notes that in these environments, children may be susceptible to negative influences such as drugs or gangs which could lead to personal troubles or dropping out of high school.
According to Caffarello and BHGH literature, the children it serves are not only academically capable, but motivated to get out of the at-risk environment. Likewise, she notes, they have the ability to succeed in a college preparatory environment.
"They want to improve their lives," she says. "They want to be successful, get a college degree and become community leaders - they just don't have the opportunities where they're coming from."
Caffarello explains that many of the children come from loving families. Parents may want the best for their child but may not be able to provide it. Single-parent homes and low-income families are not uncommon backgrounds. BHGH homes bring the children together and foster their own "family" environment, she says.
"Because we are relatively small, it's not like we're reaching thousands of kids," she says. "But we're probably providing more services than agencies that touch thousands of kids because we take care of them completely."
"Complete" care
Self-discipline and dedication define a child's life at BHGH. Daily routines include chores, two hours of studying and group meals. There are curfews and house rules that must be followed. The children are even required to introduce their friends to the house parents.
They attend private schools or college preparatory schools. They are required to participate in extra-curricular activities, and as a house, they commit two weekends each month to community service projects. A third weekend is set aside for home visits.
BHGH encourages parental involvement. Parents (or guardians) often attend performances, sporting events and other gatherings.
"This isn't a reform school," Caffarello says, "It's a challenge for the kids. They (and their parents) regard it as an opportunity."
The religious aspect
"(As a component of the program,) we require the kids to pursue some type of spirituality," Caffarello says.
One resident at the boys home in Phoenix is Jewish; one of his house parents is Jewish as well. Caffarello says he is just now beginning to learn about his faith.
"We encourage the kids to start learning about different faiths or just to acknowledge that organized religion won't fit in their life as a teenager. We recognize the moral and value base that comes out of that type of release," she notes.
Those who are not comfortable with organized religion are encouraged to take time to reflect or write in a journal.
Community support
BHGH is always looking for volunteers to help out at special events or at the office mailing newsletters. It also needs people who want to become a mentor to a child.
"Probably like any organization our greatest needs are always people and money," Caffarello says. "The community can help us create awareness for our programs and let people know that this opportunity exists. "
For more information, contact Amy Caffarello, executive director of Phoenix Boys Hope/Girls Hope, at 602-266-4873.
|
