The Open Door Network

Established in 2003 as a funded partner of First 5 Kern, BHC's Discovery Depot Licensed Child Care Center (DD) is the first licensed child care center in California located at a homeless shelter. DD is staffed by 8 FT qualified employees, and licensed for 25 children ages 0 - 5 years old: 8 Infants/Toddlers ages 0-23 months, and 17 Toddlers/Preschoolers ages 2 to 5 years, who are cared for in two age-appropriate spaces. The 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday-Friday program is free to eligible client families and allows BHC resident parents to travel off-campus to pursue housing, work, educational, parenting or substance abuse prevention opportunities while their children receive nurturing early child care and education that prepares them for school - and life. Eligible families may continue receiving services, including free transportation, even after they are placed in permanent housing.

Champ Camp After-School Educational Enrichment Program for K-8 Homeless Children serves approximately 170 child residents of BHC each year. Homelessness often results in social/educational disruptions for children who may consequently fail to meet academic standards and achieve success. Homeless parents often lack the education, mentoring competence and emotional availability to assist their children with homework and school projects. Champ Camp provides educational activities and support that enhance psycho-social development and foster academic achievement for homeless children ages 5-13 through: one-on-one tutoring/homework help from 3 PT Program Staff, 1 PT Contracted Teacher, and an average of 6 Volunteers daily during the school year; weekly lessons on Nutrition/Health/Wellness to promote healthy living; arts and crafts activities and field trips to awaken curiosity and creativity; and participation in special events (holiday/birthday parties) to stimulate psycho-social growth.

The Job Development Program at BHC is based upon our philosophy of "Creating independence, not life-long dependence.". BHC staff work with all candidates to remove barriers to employment by helping them to obtain drivers licenses, obtain GEDs, or clean up legal issues; but jobs for candidates with less then perfect histories can be difficult to find. In 2009 with a small contract with the City of Bakersfield to provide a crew of six individuals to sort waste at the City's Green Waste Recycling facility, BHC began providing more opportunities for these individuals to gain valuable work experience and skills. The program was so successful, in 2012 the City approached BHC to provide another crew of workers to begin cleaning refuse off the mainline streets and freeways and quickly added two more crews of six, providing valuable job training for eighteen homeless or at risk of homeless individuals. In 2013, BHC entered into a third contract with the City of Bakersfield to provide animal care workers at its new Animal Care Center for stray animals. Today, BHC's Job Development Program has 42 individuals who are gainfully employed, several of whom have moved onto other permanent full time positions as a result.