What is PEACH?

Why did The National Center on Family Homelessness develop PEACH?

How does an organization start PEACH?

How do I order the curriculum? How much does it cost?

What does the PEACH curriculum include?

Where is PEACH being implemented?

Has the curriculum been evaluated?

Who should I contact if I have questions?

What is PEACH?
PEACH, which stands for Physical and Emotional Awareness for Children who are Homeless, is a wellness curriculum for young children. PEACH is based on the award-winning OrganWise Guys curriculum, which we adapted to fit the unique circumstances of young children experiencing homelessness.

The program features fanciful characters based on the organs in the body (i.e., Hardy Heart, Calci M. Bone) to teach young children about staying physically and emotionally well. The curriculum helps children make a connection between their minds and bodies in a way that can be very effective for helping them feel safe.

Why did The National Center on Family Homelessness develop PEACH?
Homelessness takes a toll on children, but service providers often have large caseloads and few resources to develop child-friendly programming. The PEACH Initiative bridges this gap. 

How does an organization start PEACH?
We can work with you on getting your PEACH program started, but basically you follow these steps:

1. Designate one consistent person to teach PEACH, which is a six to eight week curriculum. You will also need a second staff member to assist during the sessions.
2. Identify a physical space to host the program, where groups can meet consistently and without interruption.
3. Order a PEACH Kit and become familiar with the Physical and Emotional Awareness for Children who are Homeless: A Tool Kit for Transitional Settings. Download Order Form (pdf)
4. Determine a program schedule and hold an orientation meeting for families before beginning program.
5. Register children in the program, and begin!

For more information, email us at peach@familyhomelessness.org.

How do I order the curriculum?  How much does it cost?
Order the curriculum by completing the order form and faxing it to OrganWise Guys, Inc.  The Kit costs about $250.00.

What does the PEACH curriculum include?
The PEACH curriculum includes all of the materials you need to implement the program, with the exception of crayons, butcher block paper, and other simple art supplies. 

PEACH Kit Contents:
A “how-to” manual written by The National Center on Family Homelessness, on implementing PEACH, entitled Physical and Emotional Awareness for Children who are Homeless: A Tool Kit for Transitional Settings.

1 Hardy Heart Kit

• 4 Books: School Days, Here We Come!, All Hearts Need Love, Taking a Healthy Break, and Are You Germ Wise?
• Hardy Heart plush educational tool
• “Here We Are” puzzle

1 Calci M. Bone Kit

• 4 books: My Favorite Drink in the World, An Active Bone Life, A Teethday Party, and An Active Role Model
• Calci M. Bone plush educational tool
• Calci’s Bone Bank Game

1 Windy the Lungs Kit

• 3 books: Five-a-Day Reporter, A Healthy Victory, and Making OrganWise Choices
• Windy the Lungs plush educational tool
• “No Smoking Sign” card game

1 Emotional Health Kit

• 4 books: Helping You Feel Safe, Acting Out Our Feelings, Talking About Our Feelings, and Heart of a Winner
• Sir Rebrum and Hardy Heart plush educational tools
• Concentration game

Additional Materials:

• Five a Day DVD
• Breakfast Skippin’ Blues DVD
• Kidney Brothers plush educational tool
• Madame Muscle plush educational tool
• Pepto the Stomach plush educational tool
• Peri Stolic plush educational tool
• Companion activity books

Where is PEACH being implemented?
PEACH is being implemented in shelters, Head Start classrooms, health care centers, and after-school programs around the country.  We do not keep track of every PEACH program, but if you are interested in connecting with or learning about PEACH programs in a specific states, email us at peach@familyhomelessness.org.

Has the curriculum been evaluated?

We conducted an evaluation of the curriculum in 2004. Download the full evaluation report. 

Email us at peach@familyhomelessness.org or call 617-467-3136 to speak with Katie Volk, Senior Program Associate.

Return to the Physical and Emotional Awareness for Children who are Homeless (PEACH) page