Posted April 18, 2016

For the fourth consecutive year, Catholic Social Services (CSS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia has been named Pennsylvania’s Service Provider of the Year by Real Alternatives, the non-profit organization that administers the Pennsylvania Pregnancy and Parenting Support Services Program.

The award is presented to the provider agency that has served pregnant women the most in Pennsylvania. CSS’ Northeast Family Service Center in Northeast Philadelphia received its sixth Site of the Year award.

CSS official Amy Stoner accepted the awards April 7 in Harrisburg.

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“We are extremely grateful and humbled to be honored by Real Alternatives as the Service Provider of the Year for the fourth year in a row and to know that CSS’ impact is so far reaching,” said Stoner, a social worker and director of Catholic Social Services’ Community Based and Homeless Services Divisions. “It has been a truly gratifying experience to work with so many women by offering them a positive, caring and supportive approach to motherhood.”

CSS provided comprehensive support services to more than 5,490 pregnant women in 2015. Statewide 20,000 women were served by Real Alternatives providers such as CSS.

Services include counseling, mentoring, education assistance, adoption and enrollment in benefit programs. CSS also provides prenatal and parenting support groups, plus monthly community baby showers throughout its multiple locations in the Philadelphia region.

CSS Northeast Family Service Center alone served approximately 2,163 expectant mothers last year.

Throughout the greater Philadelphia region, young women and mothers regularly turn to CSS facilities for emotional support and essential parenting resources needed to care for their families. Catholic Social Services benefits more than 175,000 of the most vulnerable and at-risk individuals in the greater Philadelphia region each year.

Real Alternatives is a state government-funded program that provides services to women facing unplanned crisis pregnancies, helping them to choose childbirth over abortion.