Summer at the Family Service Emergency Homeless Shelter in Levittown brings the opportunity for residents to spend some therapeutic time outdoors, enjoying the weather and each other’s company, as they continue their journey back to permanent housing.
The dedicated Shelter staff, volunteers and partners also utilize the pleasant weather to incorporate some fun educational experiences for the residents, 1/3 of whom are children.
While it blooms all year long, one of the most popular summer amenities on the Shelter grounds is the Hope & Healing Garden.
The garden was established through a grant from the Danaher Lynch Family Foundation, in Newtown, to Snipes Farm & Education Center in Morrisville, utilizing the Family Service Shelter grounds for the garden site and programming.
Since being planted, it has grown and flourished, becoming an outdoor sanctuary and classroom for all residents and staff. It produces both vegetables, which are prepared by the Shelter Chef in seasonal recipes throughout the year, and flowers which adorn the dining room tables and common areas inside the facility.
Each year, the Family Service Emergency Homeless Shelter provides a safe, comfortable temporary residence, as well as nutritious meals for approximately 350 Bucks County residents who are struggling with homelessness.
Beyond these essential services, the staff, volunteers and partners work closely together on a daily basis, supporting Shelter residents with comprehensive case management, nursing care when necessary and educational programs/services, all with the goal of ensuring that upon exiting the Shelter, residents are fully prepared to experience successful outcomes.
PHOTO CAP: The Hope and Healing Garden. Photo courtesy of the Danaher Lynch Family Foundation.