Posted January 23, 2018

Once an orphanage, St. Vincent’s Home in Philadelphia’s Tacony section now hosts a program for at-risk teens who will soon be mothers. A public-private partnership between Catholic Social Services and Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services, the initiative provides housing, counseling and parenting courses for an average of 10 young women at any given time. Read more about St. Vincent’s Mother-Baby Program and its impact in this CatholicPhilly.com feature. (Photos by Sarah Webb)

  • Shayna, a resident at St. Vincent’s Home, reads to her son Sahaad.

  • Shayna plays with her son Sahaad in their room at St. Vincent’s Home. Each resident has a private bedroom and bath, along with access to a common kitchen, recreation area and laundry.

  • Paula Scott of Catholic Social Services (left, foreground) provides weekly parenting classes to the residents at St. Vincent’s Home.

  • Shakeeta holds her son Jayden during parenting class.

  • Sahaad smiles at his mom Shayna during a parenting class at St. Vincent’s Home.

  • Participants review course materials at a parenting class in the common room at St. Vincent’s Home.

  • After a parenting class, instructor Paula Scott gives each of the young women shirts for their babies.

  • Participants in parenting classes receive “mommy bucks,” or vouchers with which they can purchase baby items from Catholic Social Services.

  • Zamyre and Nyasia

  • Mira and Zafir

  • Mira plays with her son Zafir.

  • Meleny Torres (right), a youth care worker at St. Vincent Home, helps mom-to-be Juliet pack for the hospital.

  • Nyasia dresses her son Zamyre.

  • Nyasia and Zamyre

  • Jaydeen and Shakeeta

  • Two expecting mothers at St. Vincent’s Home, due within two weeks of each other, compare their progress.