Adopt-a-Cottage Program

Epworth Village Residential Treatment Center

Enthusiastic Epworth Village, Inc. client receives a card from the Cambridge United Methodist Women. Cambridge "adopted" Blatchford Residential Treatment Center. Read more...

What is the purpose?
The program is designed to give supporters of the Epworth Village, Inc. program, the opportunity to be “friends” of one of our six, residential facilities.

Who can "Adopt-a-Cottage?"
Potential candidates for the "Adopt-A-Cottage" program may be entities such as: church groups, organizations, businesses and educational institutions.

What are the program's goals?
Epworth Village, Inc. hopes to solicit "partners" who will have a long-term relationship with the village. The goal is to help facilitate the following:

  • General "friendly" interaction with cottage clients.
  • Help groups come up with "In-Kind Program" ideas
  • Analyze the skills of a group and see how they may be utilized to enhance the lives of the clients we serve.

Examples of Volunteer Activities

  • Sharing musical, sports, cooking, gardening or sewing talents.
  • Groups could conduct a “Story Time” with clients
  • Professionals may be able to come and talk to clients about their career.
  • The program could also open up opportunities for outside groups to help spread the Epworth Village, Inc. story with the greater public.

Program Rules:

  • Client confidentiality in terms of their treatment and family situation would be kept under the strict policy and procedures of Epworth Village, Inc.
  • Client Safety is first and foremost. Those participating in the "Adopt-A-Cottage" program would not know clients' full names.
  • Any mailings coming into clients from volunteers participating in the "Adopt-A-Cottage" program would be screened by the appropriate Epworth Village, Inc. staff.
  • It is important to have safe boundaries between the clients and those participating in the "Adopt-A-Cottage" program. Volunteers should NOT make clients believe that they are potential candidates to be adoptive parents or grandparents. The relationship is merely designed as a "general friend" of the cottage.

Benefits to volunteers:

  • Volunteers may receive a newsletter from their cottage to keep them updated on cottage needs and progress.
  • Volunteers will be able to share their talents with cottage staff and clients in the form of monitored activities and/or in-kind donations.
  • Volunteers will gain the rewards that come from helping children in need develop Life Skills that will aid them far after they are clients of Epworth Village, Inc.

Why do youth come to Epworth Village?

  • Severe emotional problems
  • Severe behavioral problems
  • Severe social problems
  • Less structured interventions have failed or are not appropriate
Epworth Village, Inc. Cottages:
  • Blatchford and Stevens Residential Treatment Centers
  • Slife, Coleman and Mills Treatment Group Homes
  • Kruse Traditional Group Home

For more information contact:
Kerry Hoffschneider, Director of Community Relations
(402) 362-3353 ext. 1144
kerry@epworthvillage.org

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