Welcome to the N.E.W Life Center

Homelessness is a local and national issue and the largest growing homeless population is families with children. The majority of these families are headed by single women. They could be mothers or grandmothers but they both face the same dilemma of safe housing and food for themselves and the children in their care.

St. Luke's N.E.W. Life Center was founded with the goal of assisting these mothers and grandmothers to become self-sufficient providers for their families.

    The Center is firmly rooted in two principles:
  1. The need to empower families, in particular women and their children, to take charge of their lives, and
  2. To provide meaningful services that will have a lasting impact.

In order to accomplish these goals, the Life Skills Program was established in 2003. The Life Skills Program has two phases. The first phase lasts approximately 3 years and focuses on education, support, counseling and personal development activities that lead to life change. The second phase, added in 2006, is an additional year of empowerment. The empowerment model includes continued support services and movement of clients into the community workforce, formal education or participation in a self-contained work environment at the Center.

St. Luke's N.E.W. Life Center not only provides programs for mothers and grandmothers we also work with the children of these families and other children in the neighborhood. After school programs are offered for children in K-6th grade. This program consists of:

  • Tutoring in all subject areas
  • Assistance with homework
  • Computer enhanced learning
  • A Children's Saturday "Read With Me" Program.

In addition to programs for the mothers, grandmothers and children, other programs have been established at the Center to better serve the needs of the community:

  • An Adult Literacy Program: helps those with reading problems.
  • The Street Ministry: sorts, boxes and distributes clothing, blankets, toys and household items at various locations in the Flint area.
  • St. Luke Food Pantry: services the families within the area.
  • Saturday Meal Program: provides free meal service, three Saturdays a month, to people in the area. The goal is building of community among neighbors while providing a hot meal to anyone in need. This program specifically targets those who cannot get to the Soup Kitchen.
  • In partnership with New Paths, a community corrections program, the Center has established a three month life skills program and computer classes for women who are transitioning from prison to the community. Since February, 2009, over 150 women have participated in this program. At the end of their three month program the participants are offered the option of entering the Life Skills Program.

With these programs in place the St. Luke's N.E.W. Life Center is evolving. The vision is that it will continue to be a source of hope for struggling families.