Our Services

We provide:

  • A fully furnished two bedroom apartment

  • Security system

  • Laundry facility

  • Community and play area

  • Housing assistance

  • Case management services

  • Life skills classes such as parenting, job readiness, money management, health & nutrition

  • Referral/Linkage

  • Activities & special events

  • Exercise room

  • Arts & crafts


Life Skill Classes
Gerard Place offers a variety of life skill classes twice per week to our parents. Life skill classes include, but are not limited to, Parenting, Budgeting/Money Management, Nutrition, Job Readiness Training, and Spirituality and are offered to provide learning experiences and resources to parents to empower them to achieve greater self-sufficiency. Monthly tenant meetings are also provided to families to give them the opportunity to speak about concerns or issues they might have about the program.

Activities/Events
Gerard Place offers a wide variety of activities throughout the year including an annual carnival in the summer, trips to Fantasy Island and Darien Lake, children’s birthday celebrations at Chuck E. Cheese, and trips to the Buffalo Zoo and Niagara Falls Aquarium. We celebrate holidays by hosting celebratory dinners, send families out for a movie and a meal and take in plays and musicals in local theaters. Our facility has a Health and Wellness clinic and fitness room, an after school room, community area and playground. We offer tutoring, computer training, yoga and dance classes.

Case Management
Gerard Place assigns a case manager to all families admitted into our program. Parents are required to meet with their case manager on a weekly basis for counseling and supportive services. Assessments, service plans and goals will be established with each parent. Through the service plan process the case manager will assist with referrals for services, linkage with resources in the community, and will work with the parent to identify and overcome barriers to goal achievement.

Health & Wellness Center
A licensed Nurse Practitioner is on-site periodically to implement Health Assessments and screenings. Referral and linkage as well as physicals, immunizations, and TB skin testing are done at the center.

Lead and WIC hematocrit screenings can be done for our parents. Our nurse also teaches health/nutrition classes throughout the year as part of our comprehensive life skill program.

Job Readiness Training
Job Readiness Training (JRT) is designed for individuals to obtain a better understanding of aptitude, employment attainment, prolongation, career exploration, and customer service. Students learn JRT through testing, assignments, public speaking, role play activities and taped mock interviews. Assignments are given through handouts and the internet. Play money is used to buy supplies while exercising proper customer service and phone etiquette during role play. The student performs this by acting in a socio drama in front of the class in a makeshift store. Mock interviews are practiced for the duration of the module. The interview may be videotaped for the class to view and critique. Outcomes are measured through pre/post tests, participation and assignments. Participants that graduate from this class obtain a certificate for participation or completion.

Spirituality
The Family Enrichment Program builds a stronger sense of spirituality within that is transferred into daily life and the community. The program encourages relationship building, family planning, marriage, and teaching children spiritual principles in a 6 week program that includes motivational speakers, community guest speakers, prayer groups and Inner Faith Celebration dinners all centered on a stronger relationship with spiritual principles. The group will be encouraged to participate in group activities, pre/post testing, and homework.

Babysitting
Babysitting services are offered to parents when outside daycare cannot be attained. It is available for court, counseling, and DSS appointments, self-help groups and at the discretion of case managers.

After Care Program
The After Care program monitors and evaluates efforts directed toward strengthening and empowering client’s self-sufficiency in the community. All performance efforts related to this program are expected to result in (1) initiation of planning and After Care services to all families for up to six months post-discharge, (2) administer assessments, review and monitor Goal Plan for individual clients, (3) provide counseling support and referral/linkages, (4) establish system of contact with all post-discharge clients (e.g. home visits, telephone or mail correspondence), (5) ascertain post and exit After Care surveys, and (6) manage client files.


For more information or with questions call Karen Kasperek at 716.897.9948