Convent Avenue Family Living Center
At West Harlem Group Assistance, we are proud to play a role in helping our families attain a better quality of life. Our mission to provide safe housing for all NYC residents compelled us to open the doors of Convent Avenue Family Living Center (CAFLC) in 1989. At CAFLC, we provide emergency housing and comprehensive social service programs to families displaced by fire, natural disaster or an order to vacate from the city. We acknowledge the inconvenience and discomfort our clients face when they are rendered homeless due to unforeseen circumstances. With that in mind, we have designed a welcoming and secure space where families can not only live comfortably but actively work on ways to enhance their professional and personal well-being while waiting to return to work, or finding alternate permanent housing.
Our Center
Located in the heart of the burgeoning community of West Harlem, our center is home to 71 families. Our position in the community, both geographically and socially, offers clients the ability to benefit from a plethora of opportunities Harlem has to offer. We are nestled between The City College of New York, Columbia University and the historic Apollo Theater. Our strong network allows us to architect enriching programs that empower each member of the family to seamlessly continue their daily routine and achieve their personal goals.
We operate an on-site afterschool program for children ages 6-13 years old, offering them homework assistance along with recreational and cultural activities that promote their physical and intellectual development.
During the months of July and August, the children at our center can participate in summer camp activities that include swimming, field trips, as well as arts and craft activities.
Our Approach
All our families are referred through the Central Intake Office of the New York City Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) agency. Once a family enters our center they are assigned a case manager who develops a customized plan to achieve independent living within six to nine months. Our families meet with their case manager bi-weekly and are referred to other social service programs available through West Harlem Group Assistance.
Our programs are designed around providing social services for emergency shelter and relocation assistance. Our services include:
• Case management
• One-on-one counseling
• Permanent housing referrals and coordination
• Benefits advocacy
• Crisis intervention
• Referrals to and linkages with the community-based services
A path to Independent Living
Overcoming the trauma of losing one’s home, involves multiple losses and can be daunting for our families. We focus on securing permanent housing, but our cohort of services touch virtually every aspect of their lives and set them up for success as they transition to permanent housing. We have a dedicated housing specialist who works with families to secure available housing and help families navigate the application process.
All our partnerships aim to ensure that all our families can seamlessly transition between housing. We work closely with the Department of Education to coordinate enrollment in school and other programs related to education. We also take into consideration our families’ health and wellness. We make referrals to WHGA’s Communities for Healthy Food Hub, where our families have access to education on nutrition, can sign up for SNAP assistance and get healthy food at our supermarket-style food pantry.
Through our Financial Literacy Program, our families can set financial goals and achieve milestones in the planning of their family’s economic stability. Our specialists conduct one-on-one counseling sessions that align them with the appropriate plan, resources, and assistance to quickly recover from this setback and explore homeownership.
The Ryan Community Health Center has been an essential ally in assisting our families in meeting their primary health care needs. The team consists of a designated physician assistant and a nurse. Referrals for mental health and substance abuse issues are also provided.