Our Mission

To serve as an effective force in the field of Human Services and Family Preservation through emergency and transitional housing, education, supportive programming and community involvement.

Our History

ACTS CHRISTIAN TRANSITIONAL SERVICES began as a ministry of Acts of the Apostles Church in Jesus Christ in 1976 by opening its doors to the abused women and children who came to the Church seeking refuge. Then in 1978, Acts began providing assistance to the mentally handicapped and the elderly by providing residency, nursing care, case management and recreational activities.

In 1986 (Year of Incorporation), the City of Philadelphia approached our agency and asked us to join the umbrella of homeless shelters that would provide services to the clients who came through the Office of Supportive Housing (formerly known as the Office of Services to the Homeless and Adults and the Office of Emergency Shelter and Services). So, in November of 1986, ACTS CHRISTIAN TRANSITIONAL SERVICES opened its doors as a homeless shelter for families and single women. From the very beginning, ACTS has strived to IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE for our clients. ACTS provides a safe, drug free, comfortable and supportive environment for the clientele coming through the OESS System.

In February of 1990, ACTS expanded its program with the introduction of an Individualized Social Service Plan for each client. Programming for the clients is designed to dismantle the vicious cycles that cripple our homeless population, and in particular those who are suffering from substance abuse and chronic disorders.

In April of 1993, we opened PHASE II of ACTS, which is earmarked for those individuals currently in residence at our Master Street Facility. These residents have three or more months of sobriety, are actively participating in the community and have been consistent in the following of their Service Plans. These clients maintain their own building, run their own house meetings, have extended curfew privileges and are assigned to the Aftercare Case Manager.

Since its inception, ACTS has been a pioneer in the development of programming and collaboration with other supportive service agencies seeking to assist the homeless:

· Pennfree pilot site for families and single women
· Assisted in the development of the School Districts Homeless Student Initiative
· Pilot site for PHMC Healthcare for the Homeless project and the Case Management project
· Pilot site the Nutritional Development Project for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
· Advisory council for the Girl Scouts of the Greater Philadelphia “Our Time” program for children in shelters and serves as a pilot site
· Pilot site for the Aids Community education project with HIV specialist in shelter

ACTS is an agency that is willing and has proven itself able to progress programmatically with the needs of the clients.

From July 1993 to December 2003 - ACTS accepted the responsibility of managing the OESS Family Shelter known as Woodstock. Along with the need to establish services for the adult population of the facility, we created a structured program for the 185 children which included school registration assistance, tutoring, youth case management, age appropriate support groups, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, recreational programming, counseling and an on-site preschool program.

Currently, ACTS services 61 adults and 62 children on a daily basis, and the services that we provide are directly related to the needs of the adults and children in our facility and to those who have moved on.

1998 we joined forces with the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health - Coordinating Office for Drug & Alcohol Abuse Programs (CODAAP) and facilitate a Support (Recovery) House for adult women in Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery Programs, in addition to women who were recently incarcerated.

ACTS will continue to explore and find ways to expand our base of services so that we can provide our clients with a holistic and comprehensive supportive service as they go through their transitional period.

“AN ANCHOR IN THE STORM”