Program History & Vision

New Haven Home Recovery developed the SEARCH program in 2002 to provide services to homeless children living in our Martha's Place and CareWays Shelters. Homelessness can cause a range of complex physical and emotional problems for children such as depression, anxiety, developmental delays, emergency room visits, suicidal thoughts, and the stigma of being homeless and living in shelters. New Haven Home Recovery recognized the importance of working with our homeless children to provide them with academic, emotional and social support so desperately needed at such an unstable time in their lives.

Eligibility

The SEARCH program is open to every child of a parent living in NHHR shelters. No application process is necessary and no child is ever refused SEARCH services.

SEARCH Services

The SEARCH Program has four main components: Homework Support, Activities, PEACH (Physical and Emotional Awareness for Children who are Homeless), and a daily Quiet Time Ritual. Each of these areas helps children establish or maintain academic, emotional and social stability while they are living in the shelter and when they are permanently housed in the future. A child care worker creates curriculum appropriate to each child's age and grade level under the supervision of a licensed CT Special Education Teacher.

Home work support: Children receive assistance with homework, reading assignments or general tutoring for children enrolled in kindergarten or higher.

Activities: Arts and crafts, story time, field trips, and summer programs function as a fun outlet from the stress of living in the shelter. Children have been on many trips, including: The Cabaret Theatre, The Children’s Museum, The Little Scientist, Quassy Amusment Park, Hopkins School, Duckpin Bowling, The Trolley Museum to see Santa Clause, The Mystic Aquarium, and Hickory Hills.

PEACH: Physical and Emotional Awareness for Children who are Homeless. This program uses fun characters and stories to help children grow emotionally and understand their bodies physically. Topics include learning about muscles, bones, and how to keep the body healthy and strong.

Quiet Time Ritual: Parents are encouraged to attend this ritual to develop a calming ritual with their children. A bedtime story will be read, a small snack will be given, and children will sing a bedtime song together.

Understanding the Need

According to the National Center on Family Homelessness, homeless children are more likely than non-homeless children to show developmental delays, have learning disabilities, suffer from emotional and behavioral problems, endure recurring illnesses and have nutritional deficiencies leading to higher rates of obesity. They also face the lingering risk of separation from their mothers because they are homeless.

New Haven Home Recovery works to address these needs for the children in our shelters through the SEARCH program.

Program Funding

The SEARCH program is funded entirely by private contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations.

Click Here to Donate to SEARCH!

Success Stories

Click here to read SEARCH success stories!

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