History – Friends Association

Our History

1822

Led by Friend Ann Yarnall, Friends was founded on Quaker principles recognizing the inherent value of each individual in our society
30-50 children each year received a home and schooling, many of whom were children who had escaped enslavement and lost their parents in the city of Philadelphia

1915

Moved to Cheyney, Pennsylvania, and focused on providing education, training, mental health support, and most importantly, a home for girls and young women

1974-1984

Emergency shelter provided to a family in West Chester, start of Emergency Family Shelter that continues today
Foster Care program began with a request for care for older children with special needs

1985-2010

Innovative Family to Family Foster Care Program started in Coatesville, keeping kids in their community of origin and providing Foster Care for 45-50 children and specialized adoption services

2010

Foster Care and Adoption programs transitioned to Children’s Home of York. Our mission became focused on homelessness and housing instability.
We aligned with the Housing First National Model, built on evidence that a family experiencing homelessness is more responsive to interventions and social service supports if they are housed safely first

Today

We continue to operate the only publicly funded, low barrier Emergency Family Shelters in Chester County that keeps families of any makeup together (single or two parent, multi-generational)

Our Eviction Prevention Case Resolution program provides free legal services, case management, and financial assistance to families and individuals facing eviction

Our Housing Stability Case Management program supports families who are at risk or experiencing homelessness. The goal is to create a plan centered around housing stability, financial independence, and self-sufficiency

At Friends, we believe that it starts with a home.