SOS Children in USA
The work of SOS Children’s Villages began in the United States in 1950 when a group was set up in New York to support the work of SOS Children’s Villages in Austria just one year after the first village had opened. Then in 1963, the group was registered as “Friends of SOS Children’s Villages Inc.” to raise funds for the growing worldwide work of SOS Children’s Villages.
In 1988, the decision was made to establish an SOS Children's Village in the USA, to supplement the traditional foster family system. The first of these was built in the state of Florida at Coconut Creek and opened in 1993. It gives 60 children and young people a safe, loving family environment.
A second village opened in Lockport, Illinois in 1994, about 30 miles south-east of Chicago. There are ten family homes for up to 90 children and young people. In 2004, the third SOS Children's Village in the USA opened in Chicago itself with the financial support of both the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois. The village is home for up to 90 children and young people In addition SOS Children’s villages runs a number of community support programmes. These include:
day-care programme
out-patient therapy centre
emergency housing for families with special needs
low cost housing
support for pregnant teenagers and young mothers.
SOS Children’s Villages was active in helping children and families affected by the aftermath of hurricane Katrina in August 2005, especially those families that were evacuated from the devastated areas of New Orleans.
United States of America is one of 124 countries across the world in which SOS Children cares for orphaned and abandoned children and communities in need.
Local Contacts
SOS Children in the USA:
SOS Children's Villages USA, Inc
1200 G Street, NW, Suite 550
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202.470.5177
Fax: 202.347.7334
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