BROCKWAY, Pa. (EYT) — The community of Brockway has several houses with small green signs in their windows.
The signs are for the community’s Block Parent Program. Started in the late 1970s, the original program ran strong for about a decade. It soon faded, but it was reborn around 10 years ago when a halfway house opened up along Route 28 outside Brockway.
“Everyone in the community signed on,” explained Block Parent President Tammy Stansell. “We produced a video with the school district to play at the elementary school explaining what the block parents do. This is a place that children go to if they’re lost or afraid. If they see the sign, they can ring the doorbell and know they’re safe.”
Children are not the only people who can use the block parents. Stansell said the first person to use the revitalized Block Parent Program was an elderly woman who had fallen and needed help.
“She crawled to the block parent house and got help,” Stansell said. “It’s just a place that people know will be safe and willing to help.”
Currently, Brockway has 80 block parents. These parents had to fill out an application that was submitted to the Brockway Borough Police Department. The police department does the background checks and issues the green signs.
“Some people leave the signs in the window all the time, others take them down when they’re not at home,” Stansell explained. “You just have to be willing to help if someone comes to your door.”
A block parent is simply there to provide a safe place to get help.
According to literature provided to each block parent, they are not required to get involved in a fight, provide food or drink, or allow someone to use the toilet. If a situation seems too dangerous to open the door and put their family at risk, they can try to handle it through the locked door while calling the police. The main purpose is to contact emergency services.
“When the signs are out, people get used to knowing what house is a safe house to go to,” Stansell said.
People who are interested can contact the borough for more information.
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