Wishes Fulfilled

Kathy Selvia serves on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Study Home, an organization of professionals and volunteers dedicated to caring for and improving the lives of at-risk children, youth, and families through educational, residential, and family services. At Christmas time in 2007, the staff at the Study Home collected wish/needs lists for many of their foster care children. Under Kathy Selvia’s direction, the NEPM staff “adopted” 20 of these children, aged six months to sixteen. Clothing, toys, dolls, portable CD players, movie passes, phone cards and gift certificates were provided to the children, making the Christmas season a little more meaningful for the children and the NEPM staff.
In 2008, instead of giving out the usual holiday treats, NEPM again made a generous donation to The Children's Study Home in honor of valued employees and clients.

The Children's Study Home Inc. was originally founded in April of 1865 as “The Springfield Home for Friendless Women and Children, Inc.” This organization was one of the first social service agencies in Massachusetts and was started by a broad group of religious leaders 'to provide a temporary home for friendless and destitute women and children; and to give them employment and instruction with the ultimate design of providing for them a more permanent situation, or of fitting them to maintain themselves.' (Agency Constitution, 1865)

Today, the Children's Study Home is a charitable non-profit organization dependent on donations to fulfill its mission of improving the lives of at-risk children, youth and families. The community based programs of The Children's Study Home provide comprehensive support to families and children who are at risk. Families served by these programs may be homeless and/or may be receiving services through the Department of Social Services.

The Children's Study Home has four residential programs based in different facilities throughout Massachusetts, including the Latency Residential Program, known as “The Cottage,” located on an urban campus in Springfield, SHARP I (Study Home Adolescent Residential Program,) a staff secure adolescent male treatment program located on the rural Millpond Campus in Springfield, the START Program (Short Term Adolescent Residential Treatment) serving the residents of Cape Cod and the Islands, and the Top East (Time Out Program) located in Taunton, a staff secure 30 - 45 day program serving male and female adolescents in crisis from the Southeastern Massachusetts area.