Building Our Village of Support!

It takes a village to raise a child, support families, and transform a community. 

MISSION
To improve the lives of Homewood children and simultaneously reweave the fabric of the community in which they live.

VISION
Homewood is a community of opportunity, a place where every child can succeed. Through a strong village of support, we educate and nurture every child—from cradle to career—so that they are prepared to thrive in the 21st-century global economy.

WORK
Homewood Children’s Village (HCV), formally established in 2010, is a 501c3 that serves children, families, and the community by breaking down the social and economic barriers to success. Through collaboration, engagement, advocacy, and research, HCV offers a continuum of direct services and learning support for children and their families from cradle to career, working diligently to address the complex challenges facing Homewood’s youth.

HCV realizes this mission through a child-centered model that is designed to provide support from cradle to career. HCV is the lead partner agency for Homewood Community Schools (Faison, Lincoln, and Westinghouse). And with the help of many partners, HCV offers academic, social, and health programming to children, families, schools, and the community.

HCV also provides programming for families and adults centered on the core belief that parents are children’s first teachers, and research suggests that increasing adults’ capacity can improve child outcomes. We connect families to resources that include continued education, job training, and anti-poverty and leadership programs. The ultimate goal for this multigenerational (2Gen) programming approach is to support families towards self-determination, physical, and economic well-being, which provides the foundation for self-sufficiency. When families thrive, children succeed. 

We believe in the power of collective impact; it is crucial for solving complex problems and creating systemic change. Therefore, HCV continually works to convene partners, strengthen relationships, establish a collective vision, coordinate services, and build capacity to maximize impact for children, families, and the entire community.

HISTORY
Homewood Children’s Village (HCV) began in 2008 as a community-based research cooperative between the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work and Operation Better Block with the mission of improving outcomes for children in Homewood. HCV serves children and families through a holistic, multi-generational approach by providing direct services, support, and resources that help break down the barriers to social and economic success.  With the support of an in-house research team, community schools, and partners, HCV offers a continuum of services for families and children from cradle to career. Since the formal launch of the Children’s Village in 2010, HCV has been working diligently to forward a collaborative, multi-agency approach to addressing the complex challenges facing youth in Homewood.