WASHINGTON, Ill. – A home for young single mothers needing some assistance with life and their babies is now open in Washington.
Dream Center Peoria’s Zoe House opened its doors on Tuesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Director of Teen Moms Denise Bailey says the house is a place that can help young mothers stabilize and learn life skills, then prepare to support their child in the future with a job.
Bailey says the home can support five mothers and their babies at a time. She says the target is mothers 17-23 years old, and aims for those who may still be pregnant, in order to help them with prenatal care.
Bailey says the first mother has already moved in.
“She picked her room right away, she knew which one she wanted, and she has already begun unpacking and putting things in the drawers and closets,” Bailey said. “One of the things that she said was that it feels just like home.”
Bailey says numerous volunteers helped get the house ready to accept the mothers, whether it was through donations of furniture, monetary donations, or cleaning and repairing the house.
The mothers can spend their time at the home either finishing their education, or by receiving job training to help themselves and their baby. Staffers are on hand 24/7 to assist the mothers with whatever needs arise. Bailey says the mothers also have tasks at the home to help with cleaning or upkeep.
Bailey says the home will be a peaceful environment, and is hopeful the home can help break patterns or generational cycles that lead to bad environments to raise children in.
“One of the girls I’ve talked with who wants to come here, when we asked her what we could offer that would benefit her, how we could serve her, she said ‘I would like a home where there’s less yelling, where there’s less toxic environment,” Bailey said.
Bailey says the long-term goal of the house is developing long-term life transformations, and says offering a peaceful and safe environment can help with that.
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