Welcome to The Ferns Peer-Run Respite
A little room to breathe, a little space to grow.
When life feels overwhelming, having a place to pause and someone who understands can make a difference.
The Ferns is a welcoming home where you can slow down, feel heard, and simply be yourself. Here we meet one another as peers, drawing on our own lived experiences to offer understanding, companionship, and connection. Whether you find comfort in a conversation, a quiet moment on the deck, or creating something with your hands, there is room here to discover what feels right for you.
Our Mission
To offer a welcoming space for people experiencing overwhelm in their lives, one that recognizes everyone as the expert on themselves while also providing time, space, and connections that support their self-determination, healing, and growth.
Peer Support
Peer support begins with shared lived experience, the understanding that comes from having faced struggles of our own.
Through compassion, mutuality, and connection, we offer a space to feel heard, accepted, and less alone.
Come Inside Our Home
Take a look around. Our real photographs show what it feels like to be here.
Our living room, with its red front door
The kitchen, where guests share meals
A guest bedroom with a striped comforter and cozy chair
A guest bedroom with a round red rug
A guest bedroom with light green bedding
Couches on the lower level
The lower-level sitting area
The covered deck
What Happens Here?
Meals and Conversation
Share a meal in our kitchen, or a conversation around the table with people who understand.
Art and Creativity
Create something with your hands, or simply enjoy the art that fills our home.
Quiet, Rest, and Companionship
Find a quiet moment on the covered deck, rest, or enjoy companionship and friendship.
Planning Your Stay
A little time away can create space to breathe, connect, and rest. Here's what to know about staying at The Ferns.
Who Can Stay?
We welcome adults 18 and older with a valid ID, from any county or location. Your stay is completely free: there is no cost to guests and no insurance is needed.
Guests must be able to care for themselves, share space respectfully with others, and have a home or place to return to after their stay. A Megan's Law registry check is part of our review.
The Ferns is a non-clinical, peer-run respite. We do not have doctors on site. Together, we will explore whether the support we offer fits your current needs.
Getting Started
Call us at 610-705-8797 for an entrance conversation. We'll ask a few brief questions about how you are doing, what you are hoping for, and what you need during your stay. It's also a chance to ask questions about our home.
Our team then reviews the conversation. We will call you back with a decision and, if a stay is approved, arrange your dates.
What to Expect
You will have your own bedroom, with shared living spaces and up to three guests staying at a time. Please bring your own food and toiletries.
Our Weekend Schedule
Check-in: Friday, 4 pm
Check-out: Monday, 11 am
Our Story
From a Living Room to a Respite Home
[PLACEHOLDER: how The Ferns began, and Kim's story, including her involvement from the beginning.]
Why “The Ferns”?
[PLACEHOLDER: the meaning and story behind the name.]
Meet Our Team
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[Role and short personal bio] [Role and short personal bio] The Difference a Connection Makes
In Our Guests' Words
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Why Peer Respite Works
Peer respite guests were 70% less likely to use inpatient or emergency services (Croft & Isvan, 2015), and showed statistically significant improvements in healing, empowerment, and satisfaction (Greenfield et al., 2008).
Reach Us by Phone or Email
We'd love to hear from you. Call us for an entrance conversation, or with any questions about The Ferns.
Call 610-705-8797
Email info@theferns.org
Take a video tour of The Ferns.
The Ferns Peer-Run Respite Council
The Ferns is open because of the hard work and dedication of The Ferns Peer-Run Respite Council, a grassroots organization working to establish peer respite in our region, with The Ferns being the first! For more about the Council, contact Council Chair Karleen Caparro at 484-751-7264.
For more information on this initiative or resource-sharing questions, contact us at info@theferns.org.
Help Keep the Doors Open
Your stay at The Ferns is always free. Gifts from our community keep it that way.
[PLACEHOLDER: donation message from The Ferns.]
Give once, or become a monthly or yearly supporter. Scan the QR code with your phone camera, or use the Donate button.