PEC is a community of concerned citizens with a shared belief in the equality, dignity and worth of every person. We recognize homelessness and poverty as systemic issues that require community responses. Partnering with community members, funders, government at the local and national levels, and the business community, we ensure that all families have access to the services, housing, income, education and technology they need to achieve and maintain independence.

Description:
People’s Emergency Center (PEC) helps homeless families develop skills and resources to stabilize their lives and live independently. Grounded in over 30 years of experience, our comprehensive approach to resolving family homelessness is recognized nationally as a best practice model. Informed by our face-to-face work with families, we advocate for sound public policies to ensure that all families have access to the services they need to achieve long-term independence.

Families who turn to PEC for help bring a combination of problems that overwhelm their fragile stability. Headed by single mothers in their early twenties with several young children, most of our families have never lived on their own. Our mothers read at a sixth grade level and have little or no work experience. A staggering number (nearly 60%) of mothers survived childhood sexual abuse and have struggled to cope without treatment most of their lives. A third of them are fleeing a violent partner. Many have turned to substance abuse to numb their pain. Their children suffer from hunger and sickness, fall behind in school, and grapple with emotional problems. Many families are trapped in a devastating cycle where they become homeless again and again.

Contact people:

Trish Downey, Supervisor, (phone), (email) Grace Hightower, Data Entry Operator, (phone), (email) Maggie Nunez, Assistant, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (215) 386-6290

Address:

325 N. 39th Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.pec-cares.org

Directions:

Go to 30th street station and catch the "10 trolley" Westbound to 39th Saunders Avenue, cross the street and walk one block and across the street you will see a park on the left side of the street and a red building with a parking lot. The building is called Rowan House.   Nearest Bus Stop: 43 or 40 For maps or information, please see http://www.septa.com/

Miscellaneous Information

Are court referrals welcomed?
	Yes