Finding an apartment when you have four young children can be difficult for anyone, but for a single mom without a job and no marketable skills, it is nearly impossible.

For DeShay Berry, it was just those factors that led her into a help program and housing for her and children Isidro and Siquoya, 7-year-old twins; Dymon, 5, and Jaidon, 3. A little over a year ago, they moved into an apartment offered by HEARTH, based in Ross.

HEARTH, which stands for Homelessness Ends with Advocacy, Resources, Training, and Housing, not only provides housing for homeless mothers, but helps them become self-sufficient and obtain marketable skills.

This year marks HEARTH'S 10-year anniversary. The nonprofit organization was founded by North Hills service providers, including the North Hills YWCA, who were concerned about a critical shortage of housing for homeless mothers and their children. They formed the North Hills Affordable Housing Task Force, which later became HEARTH.

Berry and her four children were living in Duquesne but outgrew their apartment. She managed to find subsidized housing in McKeesport but lost that opportunity due to the drug problem of another resident living with the family. She and her children were almost on the street before she discovered HEARTH.

"I was working and trying to go to school at the same time. We lived in an area that was bad for my children," said Berry. After a year in HEARTH, she said, "I have confidence that I never had before. The support here is overwhelming."

After moving into HEARTH, Berry was able to finish her schooling at Duff's Business School and recently found full-time employment. "I never would have applied for that job before," she said.

Berry and her children are among the 126 women and 235 children who have been helped by HEARTH over the past 10 years, said Executive Director Judy Eakin. "We have women from all backgrounds, all ages," she said, "Right now we have a 62-year-old grandma who is raising her grandkids."

Explaing how HEARTH came about, Eakin said that in the late 1980s, most agencies for women and children wouldn't take women with boys older than 12. "The shelters were mostly in Pittsburgh, women had to leave after 30 days, and most shelters were geared to women suffering from domestic violence and/or drug and alcohol abuse," she said.

The economy was also a factor in the founding of HEARTH, she said.

"In 1988-89, there was a huge rise in calls to shelters for a couple of reasons. One was the economy took a nose dive and another was divorce became more common," she said, pointing out that only three of the 15 mothers in HEARTH now receive child support.

"Those numbers are not unusual. Many times in divorce, a woman may be plunged into poverty," she said.

HEARTH has 15 apartments at Benedictine Place, a building that used to house St. Benedict's Academy on Perrysville Avenue. The school was converted into two- and three-bedroom apartments for the women and their children. "We only take women with children," said Eakin.

In addition to housing, the program offers other services to help the women become self sufficient. There is a food pantry, a clothing pantry, laundry facilities and a store where women earn credits by reaching their program goals and can purchase items such as shampoo, laundry soap and other items at reduced rates.

In return for the services, there are high expectations from the women.

"They have to agree to enroll in a job training program or college; attend weekly meetings with Jody Walker, our services coordinator, and address any other issues they may be having whether they need parenting classes, budgeting lessons, mental health counseling, services for their children," said Eakin, "There are women who choose not to come here because they don't want to work."

School-age children attend classes in the North Hills School District and are welcome at HEARTH until they graduate from high school. Younger children attend day care programs.

"We help our mothers find child care but we don't find it for them," Eakin said. "We want them to be self-sufficient. We want them to learn the skills to do things on their own."

Women may live at at the center for up to two years although some, like Berry who will move at the end of this year, don't need that long. Others may get a short extension if there are extenuating circumstances.

HEARTH works closely with other organizations in the area including North Hills Youth Ministry, North Hills Community Outreach, Spark of Hope, local churches and others. It also relies heavily on volunteers.

"I never realized how much volunteers could do until I came here," Berry said. "I will definitely be back here helping other women."

Michelle Brittner and her 2-year-old son, Zachary moved into HEARTH in October 2003. Brittner has finished her training at Bidwell and now works for Allegheny General Hospital in medical claims processing. She and one of the other women from HEARTH will be moving into a house in a few weeks. "They gave me and my son a stable roof over our heads while I finished my schooling. I have learned such awesome stuff here. I know I can set and achieve my goals," she said.

While Brittner is excited about the new phase in her life and anxious to move into her new home, she has strong ties to HEARTH. "They showed me that anyone can make it. I never could have done it without them."

For more information about HEARTH contact 412-939-2302 or www.hearth-bp.org.