Northern Home for Children’s mission is to provide services and support to children and families facing extraordinary challenges. Our goal is to help them achieve their maximum psychological, social and economic potential, while fully respecting the dignity and worth of each individual and the integrity of the family.

Founded in 1853 by Elizabeth Hutter, Northern Home was originally named Northern Home for Friendless Children. After the Civil War, an orphanage was annexed for children of soldiers and sailors who died in the war. The Home then became a residential-care haven for destitute, neglected and homeless children. Today, Northern Home extends its services to over 2,000 children in need each year throughout the Delaware Valley.

• Without the Generations program, young mothers and their babies would be homeless and living on the streets or in shelters.
• Without our Foster Care and Adoption programs, children would have no secure place to live or family to call their own.
• Without our SCOH (Services to Children to their Own Home) program, families would be torn apart.
• Without our School and Truancy programs, children would not attend school and would never have the opportunity to be successful.
• Without our After School program, children would get into trouble, fall far behind in school and run the risk of committing crimes and entering the juvenile system.
• Without our Beacon Program, children would not have a safe place to be during non-school hours.