Mama's House breaks ground in Palm Desert on second housing complex for pregnant women
As it celebrates its 10th anniversary, Mama's House, an organization that provides housing and skill training to pregnant women, recently broke ground on a second residential home that will nearly quadruple the number of beds available.
The groundbreaking for the Anne Silverstein Campus for Mama’s House took place on Dec. 2. Mama's House Founder and Executive Director Jan Lupia said the nonprofit always had a plan to grow and serve more women and children in the Coachella Valley.
Here's what you need to know.
Second housing complex
The second property, sitting on an acre of land, has a 2,400-square-foot existing home that will be expanded by 1,800 square feet to include a multipurpose room, laundry and pantry, an office and additional bathroom space.
Two buildings consisting of five casitas (three bedrooms and three baths in each) will also be constructed on the property. In total, 38 beds will be available for women and children on the campus.
Other amenities the campus will include are outdoor seating areas, a play area for children, an exercise station, garden pathway and boxes for planting and a citrus grove.
The location of the housing complex was not shared due to safety and privacy reasons.
The project will cost around $7.3 million, and roughly $3.9 million has been raised.
Currently, Mama's House has a residential home available with 10 beds (two women per room).
"We're able to really give someone a family home learning experience. Without fail, these girls or women are coming from dysfunctional families," Lupia said. "They don't get to just change partners, beds, rooms. We teach them to work through everything."
When will construction be completed?
Lupia said construction is expected to be completed in the fall.
Once construction on the main house is completed, she hopes to move in expecting mothers and their children as early as this summer.
Mama’s House has partnered with Palm Desert-based Holt Architecture and Orr Builders on the expansion, remodel and construction of the Anne Silverstein Campus.
10 years of Mama's House
Before Mama's House, Lupia volunteered at a pregnancy clinic in the Coachella Valley. After working with so many pregnant women who had no place to go, whether it was because of domestic violence or being kicked out, she felt there needed to be more services available to them.
Lupia formed the faith-based nonprofit in 2012 for women in crisis pregnancies, aka those who want to carry their baby to term, but are without support. Mamma's House opened its doors in July 2013, and more than 300 women and children have been served since.
An intensive interview process must be conducted before a woman is accepted. Among the criteria, Lupia said they must be "willing and ready" to turn their life around and remain drug-free. Residents also need to have a high diploma or GED equivalent, or agree to complete their degree.
Once a woman is accepted, they are put on the Pathway to Success program, where they learn job, life and parenting skills and are expected to complete 250 hours. The women are given a small spending amount, while the rest of the money they receive (through the state or another source) is deposited into a "resident fund," Lupia said. The nonprofit doesn't touch that money, she added, and instead it acts as a savings account for when the women move on from the organization.
"We don't want them to worry about money while they're here. We just want them to focus on the program and be taken care of," Lupia said. "When they leave, they're shocked at how much they've been able to save."
A woman is eligible to also receive an additional $1,000 for successful completion of the program.
Counseling is also available twice a week.
How to get in contact with Mama's House
Pregnant women planning to carry their baby to term who would like to connect with Mama's House can call the Hope Center at 844-232-8622.
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Mama's House breaks ground on second housing complex for pregnant women
