Presbyterian Home for Children expands reach through new Hoover office

Presbyterian Home for Children Director of Development Jonathan Ahern jokes that he has many offices: at the organization’s campus in Talladega, at his home and in his truck. His newest office is located in Hoover.

The 151-year-old Presbyterian Home serves about 130 children, teens, young adults and families in need of stability and support from across the state at any given time. In March, the Presbyterian Home decided to set up an office in Hoover to be closer to the region where many of its donors and some of its referred families and children live.

The new office is located at 3603 Lorna Ridge Drive, as part of the offices of the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley, which serves Presbyterian churches in the Central Alabama region. So far, President and CEO Doug Marshall said, it’s been a positive addition.

“It’s putting us closer to a lot of folks that we work with on a regular basis,” he said.

The Presbyterian Home for Children has a number of different programs located on its campus.

The Moderate Care program works with the Department of Human Resources to house teen girls who have been removed from their own homes for abuse or neglect. Girls ages 19-24 can participate in the Presbyterian Home’s Transition to Adult Living, preparing them for life on their own after growing up in poverty or other difficult circumstances.

The other DHR program at the Presbyterian Home is Family Bridges, which helps local families who need assistance to keep their children at home or be reunited if a child has been removed from their care, Marshall said.

“A lot of times, they’re learning parenting skills, life skills, cooking skills. Either the parents don’t know what to do or they have a child that might be acting out and then they’re not acting appropriately. So we step into that situation,” Marshall said.

He said the organization’s Secure Dwellings program provides a living situation for homeless or displaced children, from birth to age 17, and their female caregivers. The Supportive Housing program provides families more independence as they prepare to return to life on their own.

“There’s so many people that are right on the edge. It doesn’t take a lot. It can take a child that gets sick that’s at Children’s hospital, and now the mother has to quit her job to be with the child, and all of a sudden — boom, they’re  homeless,” Marshall said.

Many women come in without job skills, Marshall said, so the Presbyterian Home runs a thrift store where the women can work, even bringing their children to work if needed.

The Presbyterian Home runs a private school, Ascension Leadership Academy, for the children on campus. Marshall said it’s an individualized learning program for students who may be behind grade level or struggling with school.

“What we’re able to do is take the moms with the children and bring them in, give the child a safe place, a place to play, rest, learn, be a child, have a home. We’re working with the moms over here, many of them have gone  through domestic abuse situations, they may not have any job skills. … We’re helping them with getting core government assistance, we’re helping them with budgeting, we’re getting them employed,” Marshall said.

“As the mom gets stronger, the family gets stronger,” he added.

By having an office in Hoover, Marshall and Ahern said it’s easier for the Presbyterian Home to meet with the people who help these missions with their financial support.

“Our largest base of support is in the Birmingham area, and the person who’s over that needs to be in that area,” Marshall said.

Ahern, who is now based out of the Hoover office, is another new addition after joining the Presbyterian Home in January. However, he has lifelong experience in helping children in need.

His mother lived in a children’s home in Mississippi, Ahern said, and she and her husband decided to return to the same home years later to act as house parents. Ahern grew up alongside the children at the home, he said, which was the start of his future career.

Ahern worked in development roles for a number of children’s organizations, including that same home, before coming to the Presbyterian Home.

“I love raising money, but I really love raising money for something I’m passionate about. That passion started all the way back with Mom,” Ahern said.

The Presbyterian Home’s junior board will host a new fundraising event for Ascension Leadership Academy, the Sweet Home Soiree, which will include dinner and silent and live auctions. The event will be Aug. 15 at The Club in Homewood, and tickets start at $125.

Learn more about the organization’s work and the Sweet Home Soiree at phfc.org.