OUR MODEL
A stable home. A healthy child. A resilient family. A safe community.
Our Housing First model combined with our trauma-informed, 2-generation approach makes our community better for all.
Friends is unique in that we focus on keeping families together during times of crisis while connecting them with highly personalized case management, community resources, and skill-building. We support all families experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness in Chester County structured as they are when we meet them, including single moms and dads, two-parent, multi-generational, grandparent, and LGBTQ+ families.
We work with families to empower them as they build on existing strengths and skills and work together to build resiliency, stable housing, and financial independence.
OUR STAFF
Bold, innovative, and committed. The Friends team is a small but mighty force that draws on its own experiences and expertise to provide families with the care and support they need to be empowered to succeed.
Joyce chester
Chief Executive Officer
610-431-3598 x222
she/her
Robin Senss
Chief Operating Officer
610-431-3598 x203
she/her
Tamara Fox
Chief Development Officer
610-431-3598 x212
she/her
Loreen M. Kemps, Esq.
Chief Legal Officer / EPCR Managing Attorney
610-431-3598 x302
Tracey Iezzi
Director of Business & Administration
610-431-3598 x220
she/her
Karina OlMEDA
Director of Community Engagement
610-431-3598 x224
she/her
Reilly Force
Acting Program Director
610-431-3598 x223
she/her
Elizabeth Almodovar
EPCR Administrative Coordinator/Paralegal
610-431-3598 x301
Roune Betts
Data Specialist
610-431-3598 x214
she/her
Lisa Buchanan
NIA Manager
610-431-3598 x225
she/her
Urias Cole
EPCR Court Coordinator
610-431-3598 x309
Danielle Dorais
EPCR Court Coordinator
610-431-3598, x303
Daphne Gilliam-Miller
EPCR Court Coordinator
610-431-3598 x304
Ellen Haines
Housing Stability Case Manager
610-431-3598 x 202
she/her
Nicole Johns
Family Center Manager
610-431-3598 x208
she/her
Leah Johnson
Housing & Resource Navigator
610-431-3598 x305
she/her
Angela Linden
Intern Supervisor
610-431-3598
she/her
Maria McDowell, Esq.
EPCR Senior Staff Attorney
610-431-3598 x205
Marcus Sass
EPCR Administrative Assistant/Paralegal
610-431-3598 x308
Lauren Swift
Development Coordinator
610-431-3598 x213
she/her
OUR BOARD
Friends Association Board members are dedicated and passionate about ensuring that every family in our community has a home. Their experience spans the nonprofit, legal, construction, medical, and financial and social services industries.
Yolanda Van de Krol
President
Clerk of Courts
Chester County
William McGrath
Vice President
EVP, Chief Credit Officer
Centric Bank
Troy Vogt
Treasurer
Certified Financial Planner
Market Street Wealth
Jeffrey Garrett
Board Member
District Operation Supervisor
Sears/Transformco
Michael Hazley
Board Member
President
Hazley Builders
HOLLY HUMPHREY
Board Member
HH Communications & Consulting
Steve E. Jarmon
Board Member
Attorney
Lamb, McErlane, PC
Matthew Korenoski
Board Member
Associate Attorney
Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees
Rebecca Louick
Board Member
School Counselor
Jim MacFadden
Board Member
Co-Owner & Managing Partner
MacFadden & Springer Investments
Frank Monterosso
Board Member
Corporate Counsel
United BioSource LLC
Stephen Nicolai
Board Member
Attorney
Hogan Lovells US
Raef Lee
Board Member
Principal, Business Consultant
Lee & Associates
Rev. Andrew Esqueda
Board Member
Senior Paster
First Presbyterian Church of West Chester
OUR HISTORY
‘Proceed as the Way Opens’: To undertake a service or course of action without prior clarity about all the details but with confidence that divine guidance will make these apparent and assure an appropriate outcome.
1822:
- Founded on Quaker principles recognizing the inherent value of each individual in our society
- Quaker and African American women, led by Friend Ann Yarnall, provide a home for children who had lost their parents in the city of Philadelphia.
- 30-50 children each year received a home and schooling, many of whom were the children of individuals who had escaped enslavement
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:
- Moved to the second floor of the YMCA building in the borough of West Chester, by the end of 1982 trend toward foster care, little need for shelter housing girls, shelter is empty
- Emergency shelter provided to a family, start of Emergency Family Shelter that continues today
- Foster Care program began with a request for care for special needs, older children
- Coatesville Project, a housing and drug & alcohol program in Oak Street Public Housing started
- Bridge Housing Program, assisting families transitioning from shelter started
1985-2010:
- Moved to Kesher Israel Synagogue providing shelter for 6 families
- Purchased apartment building on Chestnut Street to provide transitional housing for families
- Innovative Family to Family Foster Care Program started in Coatesville keeping kids in their community of origin
- 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.
- Aligned with Housing First National Model, premised on evidence that a family experiencing homelessness is more responsive to interventions and social service supports if they are housed safely first.
- The Emergency Family Shelter was moved to Chestnut Street, allowing the agency to serve diverse family compositions; single parent, two-parent, multi-generational, and LGBTQ+ families, and to provide families with a way to continue a normal daily routine during the trauma of housing instability.
Today:
We continue to operate the only publicly funded, low barrier, Housing First Emergency Family Shelter in Chester County that keeps families together during one of the most difficult times of their lives.
Our Homelessness Prevention Programs combine targeted assistance and a collaborative approach that focuses on stable housing, financial independence, and resilience.
At Friends, we believe that it starts with a home and we are committed to walking alongside every family as they take the first steps on that journey.
“Over 55% of cities report that families had to break up to enter emergency shelters.*
In 2022 we celebrated the 200th Anniversary of Friends Association, providing Chester County individuals and families experiencing homelessness with opportunities to build family well-being.
REPORTS AND FINANCIALS
ANNUAL REPORTS
Friends Association promotes the independence of families by providing shelter, programs and services that prevent and end homelessness in Chester County.
Last year, Friends Association provided services to 840 of our neighbors (283 families) throughout our four pillars of support.
2018 – 2021 Strategic Plan
(click to view)
Fiscal Year 2020 Audit (click to view)
Fiscal Year 2019 Impact Report (click to view)