Homeless and Needing Help in Davenport

In a crisis, whom do at risk families turn to?

A few months ago, a Davenport mother and her three children faced a crisis. Stephanie Dotson was homeless. Living out of a van. Dotson says she was ready to give up. She did not have a job. She could not afford diapers for her children. Stephanie found help and hope at Lydia Home in Davenport. The not-for-profit has an outreach program. It’s called Safe Families. Lydia Home works with area churches, recruiting volunteer families who want to provide safety and stability for at risk children.

Megan Hankner is the Program Coordinator for Safe Families. She says childrens’ safety is the top priority. The Safe Families become an extended family, and take in at risk children temporarily. Providing love and support until the biological parents get back on their feet. The volunteer families are screened. Lydia Home does in home visits and background checks.

There are about sixty Safe Families in the Quad Cities. On average, children stay with Safe Families for about two weeks. Two of Stephanie’s sons lived with Safe Families locally. A third lived out of state.

Stephanie Dotson is twenty eight years old. Now, she has a job. A permanent apartment. Three happy children. She is extremely thankful for the Safe Families Program.

Families helping families. Providing parents the opportunity to get back on track. While children have a safe place to call home!

Source: KWQC.com