Dayspring Programs

Dayspring Programs, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded to change the lives of homeless children and their families. Dayspring grew out of the Coalition for Homeless Children and Families, a collaboration of 30 groups interested in the welfare of homeless children in Baltimore City. Incorporated in 1997, Dayspring provides a continuum of housing and support services to strengthen sustained recovery and self-sufficiency of homeless families who must surmount the barrier of substance abuse. Children who have been homeless and whose lives are affected by poverty, substance abuse, and domestic or community violence need comprehensive services provided by staff members who understand the effect such trauma has on children’s ability to learn and grow into healthy and productive adults.

Today, Dayspring serves families through two major programs: Supportive Housing and Head Start Programs. In 2000 Dayspring added Head Start classrooms to its program and now serves families as a Head Start delegate. Through both programs, Dayspring assists parents to support, nurture and create a stable and supportive environment for their children.

Key goals of the Dayspring supportive housing model are

1. to treat the entire family, recognizing that children are affected and need concentrated services and
2. to sustain a continuum of services long enough for the family to regain and maintain stability.

In an effort to enhance the scope and excellence in service, Dayspring’s transitional housing program was certified as a long-term residential treatment program in 2007. Dayspring is the only housing and substance program in Baltimore that focuses on the needs of children, programming to ensure their successful growth and development. Dayspring is the only residential treatment facility in Baltimore City that allows more than two children in a family and children up to age 16 to reside with their mothers during drug treatment.

Key goals of the Dayspring Head Start program are

1. to provide child-focused and developmentally appropriate activities
2. a supportive learning environment of education, health, nutrition, social skills and family support and
3. parental empowerment programs to support parents as the most important educators of their children.

Dayspring Programs has been awarded the Standards for Excellence Seal given by Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations. This Seal is an ethics and accountability code and signifies that “The organization’s governance and management policies, practices, and procedures meet the highest ethical standards for nonprofits in Maryland”.

Dayspring was selected by the Northeast Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies to participate in the Service to Science (STS) Initiative. STS is a national initiative supported by SAMHSA and CSAP to enhance the evaluation capacity of innovative programs.

• One-time opportunities (working in the community garden)
• Conduct health awareness worshops and exercise classes for clients
• Group therapy
• Special events

Volunteers will be required to complete a volunteer application.