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Horizons for Homeless Children Installs New "Playspace" in Somerville Shelter; Installation sponsored by Theo Epstein and Marie Whitney.
With over 100,000 Massachusetts children experiencing homelessness every day, half under the age of six, family shelters are always filled with homeless families. Just like young children living in homes, young homeless children need access to educational and recreational opportunities that allow them to develop their physical, social, emotional, and pre-academic skills.
Recently, Horizons for Homeless Children opened a "Playspace" (educational and recreational space) as a gift to homeless children living at Just-A-Start House, a program in Somerville. Just-A-Start Corporation is a non-profit community development corporation that focuses on three major program activities for the benefit of low- and moderate-income people: the stabilization of occupied housing, education/training/placement, and the development and operation of affordable housing. The new Playspace provides homeless children with a fun, safe and stimulating environment to learn, grow and play, and comes equipped with books, play equipment, and art supplies.
The installation of the new Playspace was made possible by the generosity of Red Sox General Manager and Foundation to be Named Later Co-Founder Theo Epstein and his wife Marie Whitney, who supported the installation of the Playspace in honor of their son Jack's first birthday. Both Theo and Marie have been longstanding contributors to Horizons for Homeless Children's programs; both have been volunteer Playspace Activity Leaders and know first-hand the significant difference the Playspace Programs make in the lives of homeless children and their families. Theo and his brother Paul also co-founded The Foundation to be Named Later that benefits a number of charities in the Boston area, including Horizons for Homeless Children. "Horizons for Homeless Children makes such a positive impact on the lives of homeless children, and safe Playspaces are fundamental to the program's success," said Theo Epstein. "We are thrilled that HHC has built such a great Playspace for the kids at Just-A-Start House, and we're thrilled that our son Jack's name is attached to it. We'll never forget the children's joy as they rushed into their new Playspace!"
To support and celebrate Horizons for Homeless Children's efforts in making a difference in the lives of homeless children and families, a number of elected officials attended the official opening of the Playspace, including Senators Anthony Galluccio and Patricia Jehlen and State Representative Denise Provost. "From the time they walk into one of these Playspaces, the young people participating in these programs can focus on being kids," said State Senator Galluccio, "and the wide smiles I saw at the ribbon cutting are a testament to that. These programs are vital to supporting families working through a difficult transition and toward financial self-sufficiency." The Massachusetts Legislature has played a key role in helping Horizons for Homeless Children reach homeless children through the Playspace Programs, by providing public funding that has helped make it possible for the organization to expand to all family homeless shelters statewide.
Letting Kids Be Kids
Horizons for Homeless Children founded the Playspace Programs in 1990. Through this program, the organization facilitates the creation of Playspaces (educational and recreational spaces) within family shelters to make healthy play possible for homeless children. The program recruits, trains, and places volunteers in the shelter Playspaces to supervise and engage the children in fun, educational play so that they can grow and develop, as all children should.
Horizons for Homeless Children's Playspace Programs collaborate with residents and staff of family shelters to design and build age-appropriate, "kid-friendly" spaces that come equipped with libraries, building blocks, art supplies and more - the all-important tools to challenge children physically and creatively and allow them to have a place to play, use their imaginations and be just who they are…kids. Over 1,400 trained volunteers known as Playspace Activity Leaders (PALs) participate in educational play activities with children each week in almost 150 family shelters in Massachusetts. To date, Horizons for Homeless Children has trained almost 10,000 members of the community to become PALs.
The addition of this new Playspace brings the total number of homeless children served each week through this program to over 2,200. Horizons for Homeless Children serves an additional 175 homeless children each weekday through its three Community Children's Centers, Boston's only comprehensive, full-time child care centers specifically for homeless children. "The problem of homeless children is almost invisible to our day-to-day lives, and these great kids are in danger of falling through the cracks of our society," said Sue Heilman, Executive Director, Horizons for Homeless Children. "HHC's Playspace Programs and Community Children's Centers offer safe havens for homeless children to play and develop, while giving their parents a chance to work, seek employment or otherwise make life changes that eventually will help them live on their own."
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Theo Epstein makes a friend
at the opening of the new Playspace in Somerville.
Senator Galluccio lends a hand at the Playspace
ribbon-cutting event.
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