YOUTH SERVICES

To Our Children's Future With Health Inc.

Club Den

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Club Den (since 2001) is a comprehensive, licensed year-round youth development program promoting good health and academic excellence for K-5th grade students.

Safe Haven I, II, III, IV Elementary K-5

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Safe Haven I (since 2001), II (since 2012), III (since 2014), and IV (since 2024) - are school-based licensed afterschool and summer programs serving grades K-5 th youth at the Lamberton (I), Bethune (II), Cassidy (III) and Rhoads (IV) Schools.  They provide homework assistance, project-based learning, and academic enrichment activities with a strong focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM), and literacy, as well as a variety of recreational activities, and clubs (Chess, Scrabble, and Drama). Youth are provided weekly social emotional learning sessions and MicroSociety during the summer.

Safe Haven I, II, III, IV Middle 6th-8th

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Safe Haven I, II, III (since 2019), and IV (since 2024) - are school-based licensed afterschool and summer programs serving grades 6 th -8 th at the Lamberton (I), Bethune (II), Cassidy (III), and Rhoads (IV) Schools, which use an integrated approach to education for youth in grades 6th-8th, providing academic support, and a focus on five core components 1) Project ALERT; 2) Social Norms Campaigns; 3) Social Media Campaigns; 4) Civic Engagement; and 5) Therapeutic Restoration (inclusive of Yoga and weekly mindfulness practices, and weekly social emotional learning sessions, cultural enrichment, MicroSociety/career exploration, and increased parental involvement. 

TeenXperience Program

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TeenXperience Program (newly named (since 2017)) - is school-based afterschool and summer program serving grades 9 th -12 th at the Overbrook High School; which uses an workforce readiness approach to education for youth in grades 9 th -10 th , providing technical education training in Electrical, Customer Sales and Services, and Information Technology; academic enrichment (Literacy), career workforce development and exploration, life skills and increase parental involvement. The core DAPSEL program provides opportunities to build teamwork, resilience and mindfulness while offering youth opportunities for reflection, critical thinking and leadership that will prepare them for long-term attachment to the workforce. Program combines five activities: the Project ALERT curriculum, group counseling, teamwork project-based learning, yoga and individual self-reflection on skill development.

Philly On The Come Up-Youth Leadership Committee (POTCU-YLC)

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Philly On The Come Up-Youth Leadership Committee (POTCU-YLC) (since 2015) – is a committee of the West Philadelphia Community Health Change Coalition, that works to address and reduce the use of prescription drugs, alcohol and tobacco among youth in the Overbrook High School community area. The committee offers youth opportunities to engage in training, leadership, advocacy, community service, creative social norm campaigns, and social networking with peers, and teaches them how to use their voice and skills to become powerful change agents in their community.

Project ALERT

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Project Alert (since 2020) – provides middle and high school youth with the evidenced- based Project Alert curriculum and social norms development to 125 youth per year. The program enhances community environmental change to reduce alcohol use among teens by expanding the number of middle and high school youths participating in the Philly On The Come Up-Youth Leadership Committee.

ADULT SERVICES

DHS Parenting Collaborative/Parent Empowerment Workshops (since 2006) – TOCFWH provides parent empowerment workshops to Philadelphia parents and co-caregivers of youth from birth up to 21 years of age.

The goal is to enhance parenting skills and to build positive, resilient youth who love to learn. In addition to the workshops, parents receive source information and referrals.

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HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

TOCFWH facilitated the establishment of both the West Philadelphia Community Health Change Coalition (WPCHCC) since 2010, which was developed from the Haddington Community Health Project Collaborative HCHP, since 1995-2010) and Nicetown-Tioga Improvement Team (NTIT) since 1998)). The WPCHCC and NTIT are local State Health Improvement Partnerships (SHIP) of more than 60 collaborative members. The collaboratives function via subcommittees.

  • West Philadelphia Community Healthy Change Coalition (WPCHCC) (since 2010) - TOCFWH coordinates the WPCHCC, a coalition comprised of individuals/leaders from agencies, hospitals, universities, schools, and faith-based institutions, as well as elected officials, residents, youth, and families focusing on:
  • Drug-Free Community (DFC) (since 2015) – TOCFWH is the lead agency for the West Philadelphia Community Health Change Coalition (WPCHCC), which was awarded the Drug-Free Communities Support Program grant through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The WPCHCC plans to address and reduce the use of prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco among youth in grades 6th through 12th in the Overbrook High School area community by working in partnership to empower and mobilize the community to promote environmental community-level change.
      • Footprint For Environmental Change Button Campaign – (since 2023) serves as a clear message that students value healthy alternatives over the influence of illicit drugs, alcohol, and violence. To motivate non-usage and healthier alternatives the youth have designed colorful buttons “with catchy phrases such as “Hugs Not Drugs”, “Smell like Soap, Not Dope”, and “This is my ‘No’ button”, for example. The social norm campaign was conducted in three phases: Phase I: School Activity: Engagement of Middle and High School youth during the school year; Phase II: Community Engagement through collaborative partner and block captain community events, and Phase III: 19th Police District Captain and Officer Pinning (March 2025)
  • Nicetown-Tioga Improvement Team - Registered Community Organization
    (NTIT-RCO)     (since 1998) - comprises more than 40 collaborative members who work in partnership to address neighborhood residents' housing, education, employment, and self-development needs, as well as community advocacy. The Collaborative functions via subcommittees that determine the operations for community programming, develop and maintain community healing and memorial gardens, support community-sponsored health fairs and youth programming, and host/sponsor community block events, including our Annual Back To School Bookbag Giveaway. As an RCO with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC), we receive the benefit of early notice of significant zoning proposals in our neighborhood and provide a reliable 45-day timeframe for community input and a mechanism to identify and contact community organizations for development project filing for Zoning Board appeal or requiring Civic Design Review by the City of Philadelphia Office of Licenses and Inspections.
  • Promoting Health through Community Collaboration (PHCC) (since 1999) - TOCFWH considers racial and social injustices a threat to public health. Therefore, we work to advance the elimination of health inequities for underserved populations and people of color. Tocfwh's efforts bolster youth and families throughout West and North Philadelphia to thrive, succeed and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Family-centered efforts are promoted throughout the community.
  • Preventive Health Services - All youth in any program supported by TOCFWH maintain current health records. Annual health assessments are facilitated for youth who do not have a medical home, and dental care is provided through university collaboration. Through our partnership with Sugga Mamas, our families are offered free interactive workshops designed to engage individuals in healthy eating, being active, reducing risks, and problem-solving.
  • Drug and Alcohol Prevention-Social Emotional Learning (DAPSEL) - Our clients are provided a unique age-appropriate social-emotional framework focused on developing the five competencies of social-emotional learning: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
  • Yoga and Mindfulness - A certified yoga instructor conducts weekly Yoga and mindfulness practices for students to promote healthy living through movement and breathing exercises that foster cooperation, compassion, and social-emotional wellness. Students learn techniques to regulate their emotions, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and relieve stress in a safe and nonjudgmental learning environment. As students build awareness, they learn to value their minds and bodies and develop their sense of inner fulfillment and self-love. This reinforces individual youth's capacity to apply social-emotional and behavioral skills in refusing high-risk behaviors that can negatively impact workforce participation.
  • Fun Fitness – A program that provides positive physical activity experiences that are diverse, fun, appropriate, and safe. This program is especially helpful to youth who live in neighborhoods with limited space and options for safe play.
  • Behavioral Health - TOCFW has long-standing partnerships with Behavioral Health Providers. They provide services to our Out of School Time youth. Services include Trauma Informed Group Therapy sessions (Bullying prevention, Anger management techniques, Conflict resolution, etc.) and one-on-one, group, and family behavioral modification counseling.
  • Child & Adult Care Food Program/Summer Food Services Program (CACFP/SFSP) provides meals and snacks to all youth participating in TOCFWH programs. All menus follow the nutritional guidelines of the PA Department of Education and the USDA.