Sign up for our
Email Newsletter

  • Please remember to vote!
    The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has provided information materials.
    (click here)
  • Please support our Ball for Life 2008 Sponsors
    (click here)
  • Please support Michael Phelps in his Bike for Life
    (click here)
  • Father Benedict books and tapes available for Donation
    (click here)

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Does Good Counsel have a mission statement I could read?
Good Counsel is a family for those in need, serving God who is the Father of the orphan, defender of the widow, and who gives the lonely a home to live in (Psalm 68). Our Lord's call to serve the disadvantaged compels us to advocate on behalf of single mothers and their children and to offer love, shelter, and the opportunity to grow in self-respect and independence. We invoke the patronage of Mary, the Lady of Good Counsel, to help us protect mothers in need and to love their children from the moment of conception

back to top

What population is served by Good Counsel?
We serve homeless pregnant women who may also bring other children with them. We are best able to help women over the age of 18 years.

back to top

What types of services are available?
Available services include educational opportunities, preparation for the GED examination, medical and psychological support, career training, on-site counseling, and a full range of Life Skill courses taught in the homes. Good Counsel's trained staff acts as advocates for each mother and child in dealing with outside agencies including social services and the courts.

back to top

Where are the homes located and can I select the home of my choice?
We currently have six homes in the greater metropolitan area. Residents are assigned to homes based on available space and other considerations that dictate what will be best for the individual. For example, a victim of domestic violence would normally be placed in a Good Counsel home away from her own neighborhood.

back to top

How long can I stay at Good Counsel?
As long as necessary. Our goal is to have every mother leave our homes when she has a job and a suitable place to live for herself and her child. Normally this preparation time would be from 12 to 15 months. However, the key to a woman's length of stay is how long it takes her to meet her individual goals.

back to top

Who should I contact if I need help or would like additional information?
Call our 24 hour emergency hotline, 1-800-723-8331. Staff there is always ready to deal with your individual situation. If for some reason you would prefer to remain anonymous then you can click on _____ to send a note that will get a prompt response.

back to top

What will it cost me to live at Good Counsel?
Good Counsel is primarily supported by the donations of individual contributors who recognize the importance of helping homeless pregnant women. That allows us to offer room and board, and all our other services without cost to our residents. No one has every been turned away or denied help because of monetary considerations. In fact, our staff will help mothers in attaining financial assistance available through government and private programs.

back to top

How do you handle cases that involve substance abuse or mental health issues?
There are aspects of our program designed to deal specifically with these problems. All that is required for any person to get the help they need is to be candid with the staff during initial conversations.

back to top

What kind of help can you provide in getting a person into long term housing?
Our goal is to help each person to leave our homes with career skills that will help make her independent and with a housing situation suitable for a young mother and her family. As such, we have extensive experience and contacts in the housing marketplace. Normally however, we won't even begin to discuss subsequent housing until 90 days after entry into our program. This allows the time necessary to insure that other significant goals have been planned and the work begun on achieving financial independence.

back to top

What if I don't want to enter your long term program but just need immediate emergency help?
We can, and do, take pregnant women into our “emergency shelter” program and then assist them find the type of help they need to deal with their specific problem. The goal of our Intake Staff is not to fill Good Counsel homes, but to help callers find the best possible solution for their problems.

back to top

What is Good Counsel and its mission? Who do Good Counsel homes help and serve?
Good Counsel is a non-profit organization which operates five homes in the state of New York, located on Staten Island, in the Bronx, Poughkeepsie, Spring Valley and Harrison. We will soon add another home in Hoboken, New Jersey within a former convent. Our newest home will house approximately 20 mothers and their children. We provide shelter for homeless mothers and their children. Today, 100 mothers and babies receive shelter, food, clothing, and spiritual guidance daily at Good Counsel. This organization stands apart from other, similar-minded agencies because pregnant women at Good Counsel are cared for not only until their babies are born, but for as long as necessary. These mothers are supported until they become both financially stable and emotionally equipped to provide for their families.

back to top

What are some specific ways that Good Counsel provides assistance?
Good Counsel's staff shows our mothers that they are part of a family by giving them unconditional love. They receive educational and vocational assistance, testing and guidance. Mothers at Good Counsel have the opportunity to learn a trade and receive guidance in mapping out goals they are encouraged to achieve while living at Good Counsel. Good Counsel also assists mothers with long-term goals when they move on to begin new, independent lives. Overall, we help a mother and her family take the next good step toward a healthy lifestyle, healing and wholeness in mind, body and spirit.

back to top

What makes Good Counsel unique and especially worthy of donor support?
A Good Counsel mother may live in a home through her pregnancy and up to a year or more following the birth of her baby. These mothers share the household responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and other chores. Few other pro-life agencies have the resources to provide this environment, and virtually no other agency has an outreach program for pregnant women who are mentally ill and who may also suffer from other afflictions such as drug or alcohol dependency.

back to top

How can Good Counsel benefit from donor support when implementing programs and assistance for mothers and babies in need?
A Good Counsel mother may live in a home through her pregnancy and up to a year or more following the birth of her baby. These mothers share the household responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and other chores. Few other pro-life agencies have the resources to provide this environment, and virtually no other agency has an outreach program for pregnant women who are mentally ill and who may also suffer from other afflictions such as drug or alcohol dependency.

back to top

How can donors and volunteers help Good Counsel accomplish its worthy work and mission?
Donors and volunteers can join Good Counsel and help these families get a new start in life through their wisdom, time, donations and perhaps most importantly, their prayers.

Volunteer opportunities include:

  • Promoting recreational activities for the mothers and children
  • Those with trade skills donating time to assist in the major upkeep of and helping to make repairs to our homes
  • Mentoring both mothers and the older children staying at Good Counsel to promote a healthy atmosphere in each residence

Fundraising Opportunities:

  • Making phone calls to those invited to various Good Counsel fundraising events
  • Hosting a small party for major donors at their home
  • Obtaining sponsorship of a Good Counsel event at a club at which major donors are members
  • Requesting that employers donate goods or services, money, or securities to Good Counsel

Donors can make a gift to Good Counsel, Inc. online or by calling 201.795.0637

back to top