Building life anew begins at New Phoebe House. Just ask the women & children who live there. Each year over 55 women 25-55 children find themselves sheltered within the loving walls of this 9 bedroom Victorian home in Tacoma.

     During the potential two year stay, she is offered numerous services to allow her to recover from many of her life challenges including:  chemical &/or alcohol dependence, chronic homelessness, domestic violence, lack of education and unemployment, past imprisonment, loss of children to foster care or adoption or temporary separation from them. Recovery begins with becoming clean & sober and attending groups to support continued success with recovery.

     In addition, women carry on activities of daily living, chores and programming to increase parenting and “Home CEO” skills. She often attends financial literacy, GED Classes or college classes. Most women access counseling and outpatient treatment for past sexual trauma, post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety disorders and ramifications of childhood abuse.

The NPHA Goals for each Woman are:

• Self-Sufficiency
• Remaining Clean & Sober with a Sponsor Identified
• Increased Mental Health Stability
• Increased Financial Literacy
• Increased Parenting Skills
• Family Reunification Via Increased Visits or Custody
• Expanded Healthy Support Networks
• Transition into subsidized or un-subsidized housing
• Becoming Assets in the Community
  

Each resident benefits from weekly case management, classroom education, mentoring, group process, self-assessment and individual learning modules.

How Do Women Access New Phoebe House Association?  Many of residents are referred from Child Protective Services, Pierce County Alliance/Drug Court, MOM’s or Associated Ministries. Some have concerned family members that research resources.  However, many of our residents call to find help on their own!

Who Makes the “Ideal Phoebe”?  The “Ideal Phoebe” needs to be from the City of Tacoma or unincorporated Pierce County, must be experiencing homelessness, have issues with chemical dependence, be willing to have a mental health assessment and has her children with her, or is trying to re-unite with children under the age of six. She must be an eager learner, to remain clean & sober, to accept feedback and be willing to change.  Click here for one resident’s story.

Why Choose New Phoebe House?  

• New Phoebe House is unique & valued program in the entire area …a “gem.”
• We offer a 2 year program that helps to mitigate the odds of relapse, (7 relapses are “normal” with methamphetamines).
• NPHA programming is structured to prepare the residents for long-term success, yes, to obtain permanent housing, but to be ready for life, parenting and the responsibilities ahead…the needed resilience factors.
• Phoebe residents gain access to needed medical care, mental health assessments, medications and counseling as needed.  This helps to build in a more permanent wellbeing platform for each woman and improves her ability to parent.
• Women are prepared with financial literacy, GED’s and other job skills such as conflict management.  
• We teach, coach, observe and role model daily life and parenting skills.
• Onsite programming flexes to provide women with timely information and life skills such as: decision making, problem solving, stress management, self awareness and self management.
• Case Management provides valuable individualized referrals to appropriate resources in the community.
• Team wraparound sessions with the resident’s other providers are scheduled monitor progress and encourage continual successes.
• New Phoebe House strives to be a continuously learning organization by accessing the latest research, monitoring outcomes and receiving   resident’s (past & present) feedback for process improvement.
  

The Phoebe House Children -- Breaking the Cycle of Violence
        Some residents are pregnant when they arrive. After their little ones are born, the children often reside at NPHA. Some moms arrive first and gradually begin visits with their children, often first supervised, then unsupervised. New Phoebe House becomes an “incubator” for mother/child bonding, bridging previous separation and learning new ways of healthy parent-child interaction. Many of our children are 4th generation attachment disordered and/ or come from multiple generations of poverty.

        Our Generation NeXt program is designed to help mom’s recognize and prevent the reenactment of the abuses that they may have experienced as children.  The focus of the program includes bonding activities, formal positive parenting education, healthy ways to change negative behavior, role playing and practicing emotional coaching for children. Several agencies partner with NPHA to present information and resources regarding sexual predators and healing from sexual abuse. Other partner agencies provide assessment & intervention for the children on a social-emotional-developmental spectrum. Often, Phoebe House Kids experience the first birthday party thrown by their mother. Moms are coached to create bedtime routines of reading or singing to set the stage for healthy, safe sleep.

Our Board Members: Cathy Bordeaux, Chad Arceneaux (Vice President), Eileen Armstrong 
Secretary/Treasurer, Rose Stidham, Kathy Swartz (President), Wanda Stewart Wilder.

Our Staff: Case Manager; Amanda Howell, Case Manager, Heather Jackson, Reanna Bettencourt, Case Aid , Donna Costi, Bookkeeper, Naomi Villano, Executive Director.

Our Advisory Board (all former board members): Doris Berry, Pam Brewer, Senator Rosa Franklin, Brenda Lopez, Wade Moberg, Helen Myrick, Jim Price, Diane Rhoades, Doug Schafer, and Bobbie Jo Tarnecki.

Our Funding Sources: Operational and capital funding has been granted by governmental programs, foundations, businesses, churches, civic clubs, and many individual contributors. We charge our residents a modest monthly service fee if they have income.

Our Major Supporters Include:

• Associated Ministries
• FEMA
• Greater County Pierce County Community Network
• Pierce County
• Pierce County Medical Society
• The City of Tacoma
• The Forest Foundation
• The Fund For Women & Girls
• The Puyallup Tribe Charity Trust
• The Sequoia Foundation
• The State of Washington
• United Way
  

How Can You Help?  Tell people about our good work. Invite us to speak at a civic group, church, business or other appropriate venue. If you have a skill or talent that can be extended to us, donate your professional services. If your company produces goods or services that might aid us, let us know. Give a financial contribution to NPHA.  Every dollar donated is critical to our success. If you have been longing to be involved in a cause at a board level, consider New Phoebe House Association as an option. If you know individuals that may benefit from our services, have them contact us for an admission screening.

Wish List Information:  We have a "wish list" of items that we would welcome receiving from donors.  For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities at New Phoebe House, please call Executive Director Naomi Villano at 253.383.7710.

Adopt a Phoebe Family for the Holidays. Each of our Residents has created a wish list for the holidays. You can adopt one family or several.

Fundraising Events & Activities:  Click here to see our upcoming fundraising events and activities.

Volunteer Opportunities:  Outside House Painting for Decks & Railings, Light Carpentry, Handyman/Handywomen Duties, Art or Music Therapists Needed, Body Workers, Licensed Driver with Van, SUV or Station Wagon to go weekly the Emergency Food Network to meet New Phoebe House Employee to pick up food and deliver back to New Phoebe House, Santa Claus to visit on Christmas.

<-- This secure network (razoo.com) lets you use a credit card to donate to us on-line by clicking on its logo. The network sends us 100% of your donation.  New Phoebe House Association also welcomes donors' checks mailed to P.O. Box 5245, Tacoma, WA 98415-0245.  Donations are tax-deductible.

We participate on GuideStar, the national online standard for nonprofit accountability. Click on the GuideStar logo to check our listing.

Our Statement of Non Discrimination:  It is the policy and intention of New Phoebe House Association to make services available to all who meet eligibility requirements regardless of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, affectional orientation or gender identity, status with regard to public assistance, disability, sex or age.