life skill (noun) – an ability that enables a person to deal positively and effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life
Through no fault of their own, 90% of those who seek refuge at Sheltering Wings have lost or never had the chance to develop the basic skills we all need to live financially and emotionally independent lives.
Most behavioral health experts describe life skills in 3 categories:
- Cognitive – analyzing and applying information
- Personal – managing oneself
- Interpersonal – communicating and interacting with others
Our trained staff and volunteers work with every man, woman and child in Sheltering Wings on customized goal-oriented plans that include skills appropriate to their age and needs, such as education, childcare, socialization, anger management, job training, parenting skills, stress management, substance abuse intervention, mental health counseling, legal advocacy and much more.
Now more than ever, we need affordable housing, too.
We’re still there when a resident is ready to leave Sheltering Wings and live on their own.
Thanks to real-estate developer RealAmerica and Cummins Behavioral Health Systems, we can give many more residents a better chance at starting new lives outside of Sheltering Wings.
RealAmerica has built a 52-unit affordable apartment community using earned-income housing tax credits and has allocated 13 of those units specifically for Sheltering Wings residents. Cummins and Sheltering Wings offer on-site case management, life skills training and mental health support for former shelter residents and members of the community who need them.
