Bon Secours Health System - The Bon Secours Women's Resource Center

What is it?

The Bon Secours Women’s Resource Center is a drop-in center where women can receive emergency and long-term assistance. The Center provides a variety of services at no charge, including hospitality, parent/anger management classes, job readiness preparedness, Mercy Supportive Housing Counseling, Sister to Sister Group Support, arts/craft classes, clothing give-away, one-on-one counseling support, eviction prevention, and House of Ruth connections.

• Hospitality services include free laundry facilities, showers, telephones, and a permanent mailing address, as well as breakfast four days per week.
  
• The Center works with the House of Ruth, to provide domestic violence counseling for women and their children. The Center also works with Mercy Supportive Housing and Homeless Services, providing rental assistance grants and counseling on eviction prevention. In partnership with Goodwill industries, job readiness classes are provided to help women prepare for employment and connect with jobs after completion. The Maryland Education Opportunity Center provides the women with access to educational and financial aid resources.
  
• Crisis intervention and case management services are also provided.
  
• The Center also offers parenting and anger management classes that help women address issues of communication, discipline, and conflict resolution.

The Women’s Resource Center has tried and continues to try to generate more funding to better help and address its growing needs. Every year, the needs outweigh the funding.

Who is it for?

Women throughout Maryland.

Why do they do it?

The Sisters of Bon Secours have always realized that physical well-being is not the only component of good health. Emotional and spiritual wholeness contribute to personal overall health. This applies to communities as well. It’s about meeting the women where they are and building on the strengths that they possess. The Bon Secours Women’s Resource Center accompanies them on their journey to wholeness and self-sufficiency.

Impact

Since the Center’s beginning, it has impacted a larger number of women in need than ever thought possible.

Contact: Verna Gentry, MSW
Program Director
Telephone: 410-362-3547
E-mail: Verna_Gentry@bshsi.org