West Virginia's Promise is pleased to recognize many youth serving; organizations, colleges, schools, churches, businesses and organizations that have been designated Promise Place locations that provides all Five Promises to young people in their community. Listed below are partners who have accepted the challenge of being a Promise Place.
Brooke-Hancock-Ohio-Marshall Retired Senior and Volunteer Program
Mission: to promote, volunteerism among adults 55 and over, while encouraging their interest, using their abilities and mobilizing them to meet the most pressing needs of Brooke, Hancock, Ohio and Marshall Counties.The RSVP After School Adventures Program provides youth grades K-12 a safe, warm after school environment during the hours of 3PM and 6PM. They are mentored by caring adult and senior volunteers under the supervision of an AmeriCorps VISTA and program coordinator. Youth are provided healthy snacks, a balanced meal, and opportunities for physical exercise. Homework assistance is provided, and youth are engaged in educational activities that encompass science, math, technology, language arts, art, and physical education. Life skills, such as banking, cooking, and responsibility are addressed as well. Youth participate in service learning projects designed to assist in improving their communities, such as maintaining community gardens in Brooke and Marshall Counties, and address the needs of military, military families, and veterans.
Children's Home Society of Princeton WV
Mission: is to promote the well-being of children. Our current efforts are directed at helping children find lifetime families, protecting and nurturing children, and helping preserve and strengthen their families. CHS belief is that all children deserve a loving family to call their own.
Pocahontas County Family Resource Network
The FRN is a group of people from a local community that works together to better meet the needs of children and families in their local area. The group includes people who receive services for themselves and thier families and other community members who are interested in children and families.
Rock Lake Community Life Center mission is to improve the lives of all local residents, regardless of background by:
Fostering personal and spiritual growth
Collaborating with like-minded organizations
Creating an educational network
Providing a safe and encouraging environment
Presenting the support and resources needed for discovering creative talent
The Center provides a safe place for youth and caring adults through their summer camps, youth programming, and Friday Night Shindigs. A healthy start and effective education are also provided at the CLC's summer camps. The Center also provides an opportunity for local youth to help others and give back through volunteering at the Center, which fosters a sense of ownership in the facility.
Golden Girl Group Home is a home for 24 girls ages 12-18 and has a Transitional Living Program for girls 18-21. The impact of Golden Girl Group Home on the girls who live there are great. The girls home literally saves the girls from a life of severe abuse and neglect. The services the home offers helps to ensure that the girls will have the necessary tools to succeed and become healthy and happy adults. The program is designed to encourage positive change and growth through a series of educational, recreational, treatment and support services in a warm, loving, and therapeutic environment.
Tucker County Family Resource Network is a grass roots organization made up of family, youth and community volunteers, service agencies and organizational leaders. The mission is to provide a locally driven network of people to identify issues affecting the community, develop a plan of action to tackle identified needs and to provide an ongoing link for families to community service agencies and programs. The main focus is on families with children living in Tucker County. Programming includes; Substance Abuse Prevention, Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention and Violence/Bullying prevention program as well as early childhood education and youth leadership. Number of young people served: 1,100.
WE CAN Mentoring Program is a community based program that works to help at-risk children and their families. Mentors assist professionally trained staff in providing needed services to children and families. WE CAN make a difference one child at a time. Housed in the Children's Home Society of West Virginia, WE CAN helps connect qualified caring adults to West Virginia children across the state. These adults serve as mentors and role models in a child’s life. WE CAN’s community based mentoring approach helps children learn and grow from their community. The mentor mentee relationship creates an emotionally safe space by developing a trustworthy relationship, which is obtained through weekly contact for six months. The mentor also serves as an educator outside of the classroom. The mentor and mentee work on homework together which insures an effective education. In fact, according to mentoring.org children mentored three times a month for at least a year are “52% less likely to skip school.” The mentor also serves as a role model for a healthy start. For example, many pairs cook meals together which allows the child to learn healthy nutrition patterns. Pairs also engage in outdoor activities to promote an active lifestyle. Lastly, WE CAN promotes the attitude and spirit of volunteerism. Opportunities to Help Others can be spotted in WE CAN monthly activities across the state. For example, the WE CAN Military Thank You Note Shower, which encourages children to write thank you notes to military servicemen and women.
Taylor County Project HOP2E was founded in 2006. Their mission is to provide their community the necessary resource to help maintain their quality of living. Breaking the Cycle.
Pressley Ridge White Oak is reaching 165 young people with a mission to improve the adjustment and achievement of children and youth with troubling behaviors through effective programs that focus on all aspects of their lives. To lead in the development of innovative programming through evaluation, research and outcome measurement. To champion initiatives to improve the system for care for children, youth and their families. Pressley Ridge re-education philosophy serves as a foundation and the theoretical framework for all their services. The principles include the essence of each of the Five Promises and rest upon two basic beliefs: that every child wants to do well and that trust between a child and adult is essential, the foundation upon which all other principals rests. Caring Adults- “Trust between an adult and a child is essential…” Safe Places- “In growing up a child should know some joy in each day and look forward to some joyous event for the morrow.” A Healthy Start- “The body is the armature of the self, the physical self around which the psychological self is constructed.” An Effective Education-“Competence make a difference; children and adolescents should be helped to be good at something and especially at schoolwork.” Opportunities to Help Others- “Communities are important for children and youth, but the uses and benefits must be experienced to be learned.”
Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action, Inc; KISRA serves and empowers West Virginians through and array of education, employment and economic empowerment initiatives.
ABLE Families mission is to confront the systemic causes of poverty by supporting families a they make positive changes in their lives.
Hometown Elementary mission is to ensure that every student masters the curriculum and achieves academic success. We will dedicate our time, resources and practices to closing the achievement gap, bringing all students to mastery and beyond, and preparing every student for success in a diverse and changing world. Working with the home and community, we will build a supportive system characterized by ethical behaviors, mutual respect, professionalism and collaboration.
Youth Services System, Inc. is committed to engaging, educating and mentoring youth with a wide range of services all aimed at resolving crises, building skills, empowering and uplifting at-risk youth. In 34 years, over 16,000 young people have been served.
Musselman Middle Schools mission is to educate and care for the emotional and physical needs of their middle school students. The school works to provide the Five Promises to over 1200 students each year.
Morgan County Starting Points was established in 1999 with a mission to serve as a community resource center that strengthens and nurtures Morgan County children and families by providing information, programs and access to needed resources. Morgan County Starting Points serves over 390 children and youth each year.
The Youth Club of Marshall County mission is to provide a safe place where youth can socialize, participate in games, special recreation, educational activities, study and receive tutoring –all in an adult supervised environment.
Arts in Action mission is to provide professional and positive education and performance opportunities in the arts for all ages and abilities with a Christian influence. We encourage and equip residents of Putnam, Kanawha, Cabell, Mason and Lincoln counties regardless of race, gender, and economic status, offering structured and disciplined programs and activities taught and lead by a highly-skilled, qualified and dedicated faculty and staff. Since June 2009 Arts in Action have served over 403 children and youth.
Outdoor Education Center of For Love of Children facilitates healthy character development for youth and adults through adventure challenges, environmental education, and sustainability practices in a powerful classroom where experiential learning inspires individual potential and leads participants toward discovering connections between the natural world and their communities.
Valley Health Systems, Inc. mission is to provide quality health care to all individuals with emphasis on reaching those who are underserved. Valley Health Systems, Inc. serves over 1000 young people a year.
Marshall County Starting Points, Inc connects young families with the resources, information and services needed to enhance their ability to protect, nurture, education and support the development of their children. Marshall County Starting Points serves over 400 young people.
Volunteer Action Center’s mission is to “Connect People to Service”. The VAC links those who have goods or services to donate with those organizations or individuals who can make use of such resources, by:
1. Connecting people with the opportunity to serve
2. Promoting volunteerism in the Mid-Ohio Valley
3. Building the capacity for effective local volunteering
4. Developing and participating in collaborative programming
5. Providing information and referral services
6. Maintaining a cost-efficient co-location facility for non-profit agencies
7. Providing training, education, and reimbursement for food to home day care providers, thus ensuring they have healthy, nutritious food, and proper mentoring for their emotional, social and physical well-being.
Family Resource Network of the Panhandle serves as a voice of the people in the community, and as a forum to communicate the needs of the families in the community. The FRN OTP facilitates collaborative efforts among community agencies to ensure accessible, affordable and efficient family services and is totally committed to improving the diversity, scope, quality, and effectiveness of these services throughout the entire Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
DAYMARK, Incorporated, Patchwork exists to shelter, educate and guide over 1000 young people to ensure them an opportunity for a productive future. Patchwork has been serving children and families for thirty-five years. DAYMARK is based on the belief that each young person should be given the opportunity to achieve his/her fullest potential, and that this occurs when s/he is provided guidance and support in a caring, respectful, responsible manner.
Mission West Virginia is dedicated to improving the lives of foster children throughout the state of West Virginia. Challenged to find families for children who have been abused and neglected and who are waiting for the love and security of a forever family. Mission West Virginia is serving over 70 children and youth.
Children's Home Society of Parkersburg is reaching over 300 children and youth with a mission to promote the well being of children; to nurture and protect children, while enhancing and strengthening families.
Programs offered are adoption services, foster care, emergency shelters, family support services, advocacy services and behavioral health services.
Target youth will be immersed in the Five Promise in efforts to not only help them individually, but promote these positive youth development efforts in the wider community.
Ohio Valley University is a Site of Promise. OVU seeks to transform lives in a Christ-centered academic community that integrates higher learning, biblical faith and service to God and humanity.
Ohio Valley University commits to adding their strengths, efforts and resources to fulfilling the Five Promise's and reaching 100 youth.