The mission of Wilson Commencement Park (WCP) is to provide programs and services in an affordable, transitional housing community for low income, single-parent families striving to achieve economic and social stability, to increase their independence and earning power, and to break the cycle of poverty and welfare dependency.

Description:
We help low-income single parents and their children escape the confines of poverty and move beyond welfare dependency. We work to put self-sufficiency within the grasp of our families. Our parents must overcome a variety of hardships to reach this goal. Some have lost a mate's earning power through death or divorce, some have lost a job and need to retrain, some have left abusive homes, and still others have been involved in substance abuse. Everything that single parents need to work towards the goal of self-sufficiency is provided at Wilson Commencement Park. Every family forms a close bond with a case manager. The case managers work with each family to; obtain the necessary support services, maintain focus on individual goals and plan to achieve them, overcome obstacles, and encourage confidence, assertiveness and independence.

History:
Wilson Commencement Park is Rochester's first transitional housing community geared specifically to single-parent families and is one of very few in the United States deemed worthy of national replication. Since WCP opened in 1991, it has helped more than 2,000 low income families transform their lives- strengthening our community and reducing the cost of public assistance. Lessons learned at Wilson Commencement Park help families maintain a life long theme of "raising the bar". A recent evaluation by the center for Government Research showed that 81% of WCP alumni are employed full-time.

Contact person: Mary Lippa, Director, Development & Communications, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (585) 263-2497

Address:

251 Joseph Avenue Rochester, NY 14605 (See a map)

Directions:

From the Inner Loop, take the St. Paul St/Clinton Ave/Joseph Ave exit. Continue on to Joseph Avenue North. Pass the Amtrack station on the left and travel under the train bridge. Wilson Commencement Park is located just north of Kelly Street on Joseph Avenue. From Route 104, exit onto Clinton Avenue South. Joseph Avenue runs parallel to Clinton Avenue (west of Joseph). Turn left onto Clifford Avenue then make a right onto Joseph Avenue. Wilson Commencement Park is located south of Upper Falls Boulevard. For specific directions from your location visit, http://maps.yahoo.com/   Nearest Bus Stop: Bus Line 11, 1 minute walk

Overall Experience   
amazing

I volunteered at the daycare of Wilson Commencement Park. The kids were a lot of fun to be around and the teachers created a great environment for the kids. I'm looking foreward to volunteering there next summer. posted by Lavendar2001 on August 21, 2003