What started out as a haven for immigrants more than 100 years ago has evolved into an invaluable community agency Peoria area residents know as Neighborhood House. What’s remained the same throughout the past century is Neighborhood House’s commitment to providing sanctuary for those who need it most.

A Century of Change

The agency was founded as a settlement house in September 1896, according to Neighborhood House Assistant Executive Director Nina Williams. What’s a settlement house? “It was a facility where poor immigrants could find refuge and receive many of life’s necessities,” she explained.

A 1910 census report showed two-thirds of the residents in the Eighth Ward—now Washington Street on the South Side—were either foreign born or of foreign parentage, Williams said. “Immigrants speaking 14 different languages had settled in this area to find their freedom and fortune. Needless to say, most of these immigrants couldn’t speak English and weren’t prepared to enter the American culture.”

She said Mary Pauline Wright, author of The History of Neighborhood House, best characterized the services at that time when she wrote: “There was a great need to help the Eastern Europeans to realize a better way of living, giving them a start toward citizenship in their adopted country, and learning to speak and understand English.”

As the community evolved, so did the services Neighborhood House provides, Williams said. “The needs of residents in 1896 aren’t the needs of residents in 2003. But even though the needs have changed, Neighborhood House continues to be a haven for hundreds of men, women, and children each year. Neighborhood House Association is dedicated to providing services that address the basic social, emotional, and material needs of individuals in the tri-county community. We strive to help people improve their quality of life, enhance their independence, and become active participants in society. We’ve recently professionalized our entire organization by hiring educated and trained staff, basing services on sound therapeutic principles, remaining in touch with those we serve, and evaluating the quality of services provided.”

Williams identified some of the many programs Neighborhood House offers. “Our Early Childhood Education Center provides a space where children between the ages of two and five can mature socially, emotionally, physically, and educationally to their full potential. Our Latch Key Program provides a safe environment that builds knowledge, integrity, discipline, and service. Children between six and 12 years of age are offered a curriculum where they can grow academically and learn. Our Summer Day Camp Program helps children learn more about nature and the outdoors. Children experience the ‘wilderness’ at Camp Neighborhood House during the summer months.

“Our Senior Activities Program provides seniors the opportunity to engage in various activities that foster interaction, good health, and independence. Seniors are offered a menu of activities that range from the Quilters Club to bus trips throughout the nation. During events, a nutritious meal and entertainment are provided to each participant. Our Senior Meals Program provides seniors a nutritious meal delivered to their place of residency on a daily basis. But Meals With Love is more than a meal. It is a lifeline that assures homebound seniors have daily contact with the outside world and are alive and well,” she said.

Other year-round and holiday programs include:

• Emergency food pantry. “Disaster can strike a family at any time. During these times, Neighborhood House can be counted upon to provide food and baby formula,” Williams said.
  
  
• Health services. “At regular intervals, community members can receive preventive health services such as blood pressure screening, cholesterol testing, and bone density testing. We’re proud to house a Peoria City/County Department satellite site, where neighbors can receive medical care,” she said.
  
  
• Toy shop. Provides toys to needy families in the tri-county community.
  
  
• Food baskets. Needy families receive holiday food and fruit baskets.
  
  
• Santa For Seniors. Provides a gift to seniors in the tri-county area who otherwise may be forgotten.
  
  
• Keep Our Kids Warm. Provides mittens, hats, scarves, and socks to children in our community.

Maintaining the Tradition

All of these programs come at a cost, and Williams said Neighborhood House receives funding from six primary sources. “The majority of our funding is derived from state grants and the Heart of Illinois United Way. The second primary funding source is individuals and organizational contributions. We’re continually attempting to increase the level of contributions to compensate for shrinking dollars from state grants. This is one of the most challenging aspects of my job.”

Working for a not-for-profit agency means Williams does a little bit of everything in her day-to-day routine. “I generally start my workday by walking through the Child Care Center, greeting students and insuring proper staff ratios are being maintained. I seldom travel completely through the center without rendering some level of assistance to a teacher who’s dealing with a disruptive child. My past experience as a child therapist has really come in handy during these routine tours,” she said. “I’m also responsible for administration and evaluation of the programs offered by Neighborhood House. These duties include monitoring quality, developing and maintaining budgets, and training staff.

“I love my job because it provides diversity, utilizes my skills, and allows exposure to people of all ages. My goal is to continue to refine and add services to enhance the quality of life in our community. Neighborhood House is on the brink of becoming the best non-profit agency in the tri-county community,” Williams said.

What makes Neighborhood House unique in the tri-county is its ability to continually assess the needs of the community and then to promptly initiate specialized, comprehensive programs to meet these needs, she said. “Neighborhood House provides such an array of services that a person can be involved from birth through their senior years. Those we serve vary in many ways. Some of the people we serve aren’t poor in terms of money, but they have a poverty of family, social contact, and interaction with others. Through Neighborhood House staff, those we serve are rich through their concern, compassion, and commitment. The agency has truly become a pillar of the community for residents.”

She said Neighborhood House has suffered the same problems other non-profits have faced because of the recent economic downturn. “We reduced the number of support staff and made significant cuts regarding supplies and facility improvement. Despite a year-end loss of approximately $50,000, we’re able to continue providing the core services so desperately needed by our community.”

Though the loss of monetary support has been difficult, Williams said the organization is focused on the big picture. “Neighborhood House will remain in constant communication with our citizens, service recipients, and community leaders. We’ll implement programs and services that are responsive to their identified needs. We’ll also become more integrated into state and national organizations to provide our community with the most advanced level of service.” TPW