PROGRAMS
For 30 years, Neopolitan Lighthouse’s Board of Directors and staff have been dedicated to promoting the safety, emotional, educational, and practical needs of abused victims and their children. Neopolitan Lighthouse will work towards educating the public as well as the legal system on respecting the rights of victims of abuse. We will engage in any and all legal activities to accomplish the eradication of domestic violence.
Neopolitan Lighthouse offers several different programs that are designed to empower victims of abuse and their children, promote self-sufficiency and self-reliance, and discourage the continuation of violence within the community.
SHELTER PROGRAM
Neopolitan Lighthouse’s 25-bed domestic violence shelter offers services to victims and children fleeing from abusive relationships 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To ensure the safety of our clients, Neopolitan Lighthouse’s shelter facility is housed at a confidential location. The shelter offers comfortable accommodations for victims and children in a communal atmosphere. Clients are able to stay at the shelter facility for up to 180 days while they work towards obtaining stable income and housing. During this time, shelter residents are provided with an array of services which include individual and group counseling, case management, advocacy, and Illinois Domestic Violence Act legal advocacy. The shelter facility affords its residents a safe and supportive environment where they can begin to regain control over their lives.
If you or someone you know is in need of shelter, please do not hesitate to call our 24-hour crisis line at (773) 722-0005 for more information. If you do not reside in the Chicago area, you may call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 to locate a domestic violence shelter and/or program near you.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & EMPLOYMENT PROJECT (EDEP)
Neopolitan Lighthouse’s Economic Development and Employment Project (EDEP) was designed to assist victims of domestic violence in securing and retaining gainful employment, acquiring financial literacy, and receiving referrals to job training services. Neopolitan’s shelter, walk-in, and legal advocacy clients are eligible to participate in the EDEP. The goal of the project is to ensure that clients have the resources and assistance that they need in order for them to obtain and maintain economic stability, self-sufficiency, and self-reliance for themselves and their children.
Upon entering the EDEP, each client is given a one-on-one, in-depth assessment to determine her education level, employment history, future employment interests, and needs to achieve her goals. The client is provided with information and guidance so that one may determine the type of job that one would like to have, or the type of educational program that one would like to enroll in. One is then assisted in establishing a plan to achieve her employment and educational goals.
CHILDREN'S PROJECT
Neopolitan Lighthouse recognizes the devastating effects domestic violence can have on children. An extensive children’s program was created to assist the smallest victims of domestic violence with their healing processes.
WALK-IN PROGRAM
Neopolitan Lighthouse’s walk-in counseling program provides domestic violence victims with supportive counseling. Free individual counseling is available at the administrative office. The walk-in counseling program is designed to assist victims and their children who are in need of domestic violence support services, but for whom shelter is either not needed, appropriate or the option of choice. The walk-in counseling program provides the opportunity for female and male victims to receive support in a private setting where they feel safe and comfortable. Counselors are available to assist victims in examining their situations and exploring possible options. The walk-in counseling program also assists victims who are fulfilling their court mandated domestic violence counseling requirements for the court system and/or the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
LEGAL ADVOCACY
Neopolitan Lighthouse provides legal advocacy outreach services to victims and men who self-identify at civil or criminal court and need to file an Order of Protection, but who are not aware of the procedures, their legal rights, or the resources that are available to them. The Outreach Legal Advocate provides information and counseling on legal rights, available remedies, assistance in completing court documentation, and filing Orders of Protection. The advocate assists clients in obtaining an Emergency Order of Protection, which lasts for 14-21 days. Once the Emergency Order has been obtained, the advocate continues to work with the victim/survivor, providing emotional support and accompanying the client to future court appearances until the Plenary Order of Protection is obtained. This order may last up to 2 years.
YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION INITIATIVE
Neopolitan Lighthouse’s Youth Violence Prevention Initiative was designed in response to the lack of available violence support services for children and adolescents on the west side of Chicago. Whether it is the effects of being raised in an abusive household where a parent or family member is a victim of domestic violence, or being involved in a bullying situation, youth are impacted in many ways by violence. Neopolitan Lighthouse’s Outreach Coordinator provides children and teens with domestic violence counseling, anti-bullying advocacy, education, and referral information as needed.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP
GET IN TOUCH
If you have a general question, please call our main phone line: (312) 964-5056
If your matter is of an urgent nature or if you require emergency shelter, you may call our 24-Hour Crisis Hotline: (773) 722-0005