| Proposal Description |
The La Casita Learning Center Program provides basic computer, GED, English as a Second Language (ESL),college level tutoring as well as academic and financial aid advising to homeless women participating in the transitional housing program and low-income women in the community. ESL tutoring at the Learning Center helps develop skills in speaking, writing and reading. Proficiency in the English Language is essential for academic success and in acquiring and maintaining steady employment. Tutoring in a specialized area is offered when a student is struggling with a particular subject, such as math or the nursing sciences. Since its inception there has been a 40% increase in the number of students at the La Casita Learning Center.
The women served by La Casita, whether homeless or from the neighborhood share many of the same experiences such as low educational attainment and limited job skills. Many have experienced domestic violence, sexual abuse, and residential instability. The women in the transitional housing program have been homeless for an average of two years, often living sporadically in overcrowded or substandard conditions with relatives or friends or in emergency shelters. Their children, all under the age of twelve, have experienced significant instability as they’ve been moved from house to house and school to school.
La Casita welcomes any woman who is committed to pursuing educational goals. 41% of these students meet the federal guidelines for poverty, while many of the other 59% are barely above this threshold.
Visitation House has a twenty-four year history of working with homeless women in breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness in their lives and the lives of their children. The distinct focus on education has yielded positive results not only for the women but also for their children, many of whom have gone on to complete high school and college degrees. There is no other transitional housing program in San Antonio that focuses exclusively on education.
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