HEALING SPIRITS. NURTURING CHILDREN. SERVING COMMUNITIES. SINCE 1877.
ABOUT US
History
Originally known as The Presbyterian Orphanage, Presbyterian Children's Village was founded in 1877 by a group of concerned Presbyterian women. They noticed a growing number of homeless children in the Philadelphia area and created an institution that housed both orphans and "near orphans." The orphanage was located in Southwest Philadelphia until 1960, when it moved to a Rosemont estate donated by Samuel Robinson, co-founder and once CEO of Acme Markets. Over the years, the Village has adapted its programs and services to meet the changing needs of dependent and/or at-risk children and their families, and to assist those experiencing emotional and behavioral problems often arising from abuse and neglect.
The Village has cared for a diverse population with a wide range of ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds. By the late 1970s, in response to nationwide trends toward "de-institutionalization of children's services," it transformed itself from a conventional orphanage into a treatment center for emotionally-troubled children and hurting families. Some new programs that have been developed in response to evolving views regarding childcare are: Foster and Kinship Family Care, Medical Foster Family Care, Services to Children in their Own Homes (SCOH), Behavioral Health Services and Adoption Services. The Preheim Center was opened in Southwest Philadelphia in 2003 and serves as the hub of operations for the Village's community-based, prevention, and many behavioral health services. The Rosemont campus, once the orphanage, is now a residential facility for troubled teens.
Robinson Hall
Robinson Hall, which houses the administrative offices on the Rosemont campus of Presbyterian Children's Village, was designed by architect George Bishop Page and built in 1907. Samuel Robinson bequeathed the estate to the Village in 1960.
Preheim Center
Presbyterian Children's Village purchased and renovated the former Good Shepherd Convent at 6517 Chester Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia and established it as the Preheim Center in 2003. Community-Based Child Welfare Services, Prevention Services, and many Behavioral Health Services are headquartered here.
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