City Team assistance programs.
A faith based charity known as City Team provides assistance across multiple states and part of the country. They can assist people in poverty, regardless of their religion, age, background or other challenges they are faced with. By offering short term support, such as food and transitional housing along with career counseling, they help change the lives of the working poor and families in poverty.
Food is available from the charity. Providing a nourishing, free home cooked type meal at each of the locations, such as in Philadelphia or San Francisco, they can provide comfort and warmth to struggling individuals. Food is for men, women, single parents and children, especially if it’s their only meal for the day.
This is not just offered for families in poverty. Studies show that many employed adults, children and seniors nationwide are forced to go without a meal simply because they cannot afford the cost of their groceries or pay other bills. While many people receiving meals at Cityteam are homeless, others have a full time job. Clients may live in low-income housing like apartments or motels or in some cases, their vehicles or on the streets, so they come from many backgrounds.
Through the tireless work of volunteers that partner with City Team, hundreds of guests are welcomed into the non-profit center. They are made to feel safe, warm and secure and provided with a home cooked meal each day.
Shelter is provided Cityteam at each location. This is mostly for homeless men with no other place to go. In addition to a place to sleep, they have access to a toiletries, shower, clothing, a bed and a hot meal. With some individuals struggling with addiction issues or unemployment, case management, AA meetings and small group sessions are offered to lead them on the path to stable housing.
At all of the Cityteam North America locations, including in Portland and Oakland, there is a Men’s Recovery Program available. This is for those individuals struggling with addiction to drug and alcohol, which in turn often leads to homelessness or poverty.
Through a structured program created by the charity, issues such as shelter, food, evictions and foreclosures, clothing and counseling are addressed. Recovery classes focusing on a variety of topics such as anger management, relapse prevention, GED preparation and career counseling are available based on the needs of the individual. The recovery program and the staff who help City Team work on addressing deep rooted issues to bring about long-term resolution and transformation to the lives of clients.
At some of the Cityteam locations, such as in San Jose, CA, there are residential programs available for women. Examples are the House of Grace and Heritage Home, and they focus on people struggling with abuse or homelessness. Staff try to give them an opportunity to transform their lives without any separation from their children.
The other option, Heritage Home, provides structure and shelter for pregnant, homeless women as well as single parents. Each program focuses on issues such as career counseling, relapse prevention, parenting techniques, individual counseling, unemployment, GED preparation, financial counseling and money management in a classroom setting.
In addition, both House of Grace and Heritage Home from Cityteam follow a community based model which stresses a variety of factors such as personal accountability. The goals of these two programs is to help women transform their lives by becoming productive citizens and mothers who are self-reliant, stable and independent for their children and their community.
Community Outreach is an essential program for the working poor. This program provides resources to assist them in basic, daily living such as accessing clothing, toiletries, food, warm coats and supplies for school. More in-depth offerings for these families includes referral assistance, mentoring, and access to community based events.
Through donations and the work of volunteers, these resources and services have reached into other impoverished communities, such as the suburbs of San Jose, and not just the main location. Programs at the San Jose and Philadelphia locations offer support and resources for babies and new mothers, such as free diapers, formula, furniture, wipes and car seats.
Education is a key element to leading a life of employment, stability and independence. At-risk members of the community can register for the Learning Center, which provides them access to a learning environment. At their own individual pace, students of the faith based group are taught the necessary skills of writing, math, reading comprehension, computer literacy, ESL and other basic life skills necessary for a stable life.
As students of Cityteam work through their education programs, the main goal is to find them steady, long-term employment that will allow them to provide for themselves and their families. There is also career coaching and other support provided. The courses place a special emphasis on teaching responsibility and skills for independent living.
Through the continuing effort and time of volunteers, Cityteam is able to offer free health care including medical and dental services for struggling, at-risk families, the homeless and participants in their residential programs. These services are vital in promoting the health and well-being of individuals, helping them as they work to transform their lives.
The main offices are below. Each and every Cityteam location offers different services to clients, so call for details.
- Philadelphia center is at 634 Sproul Street, Chester, PA 19013. Call (610) 872-6865.
- Oakland, 722 Washington St., Oakland, CA 94607. Telephone number is (510) 452-3758.
- San Francisco is at 164 6th Street, San Francisco, California 94103. Dial (415) 861-8688.
- Cityteam Rescue Mission is at 1174 Old Bayshore Hwy, San Jose, CA 95112.
- Portland office - 526 SE Grand Ave, Portland, Oregon 97214. Dial (503) 231-933.
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