DATE: Friday, March 21, 1997                TAG: 9703210703

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   61 lines

HAVEN FOR HOMELESS, REC LEADERS WORK TOGETHER TO BENEFIT CHILDREN

Antonio Lassiter's small body arches forward, and for just a moment he is a graceful swan poised for flight - arms extended like wings, head raised.

SPLASH! The delicate moment is drowned by a belly-flopper that drenches onlookers 10 feet away.

Just two months ago, the 6-year-old was terrified of water - wouldn't think of getting his head wet, let alone diving into the 9-foot end of a pool.

Antonio is one of seven children who got free swimming lessons, thanks to a partnership between The Haven Family Center for homeless and the city's recreation department. The final class was Thursday at Huntersville Recreation Center.

``It's little things like this that really make a difference,'' said Jennifer Tingley, children's program director for Haven.

Stanley Stein, director of the Department of Recreation, Parks and General Services, said the partnership with Haven was in keeping with the City Council's stance that ``no child will go unserved.''

Antonio's mom, Mechelle Lassiter, watched proudly as her son flailed his arms about in a semblance of the Australian crawl.

Three years ago, mother and son became homeless. They'd been living on welfare, but when they moved into Haven's 30-day emergency shelter, Lassiter started a journey toward independence.

With support and encouragement from Haven staff, she returned to school and got a degree in office technology. Now, she's working part-time at Nauticus and hopes to own her own home some day through Haven's ECHO housing program, a partnership between Haven and the Norfolk Convocation of Episcopal Churches.

Some 100 families enter Haven's emergency shelter each year. There, for 30 days, they are called upon to help themselves by becoming part of the house team. In exchange, their basic needs are met.

Parents who stay drug-free, who are employed or in a training program, can ask to stay another 90 days.

Morgan Place, an eight-apartment complex, also in Ocean View, is the third rung on the five-step ladder to independence offered by Haven. This two-year interval prepares families for self-sufficiency with extensive family support and counseling while parents work toward goals they set for themselves.

Haven wants to buy and renovate a building as a resource, education and service center to provide continued support for former Haven families. The program would allow those still making too little money to earn more through part-time neighborhood improvement work.

Haven has in hand a grant of $843,020 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development but must raise $62,500 in matching funds.

Mechelle Lassiter will soon join her son in taking advantage of free courses at city recreation centers. She plans to learn to tap dance. Maybe, just maybe, she'll get up the courage to take swim classes, too. MEMO: For more information on Haven's program, call 587-4202. ILLUSTRATION: BETH BERGMAN photos/The Virginian-Pilot

Antonio Lassiter, 6, jumps happily into the Huntersville Recreation

Center pool in Norfolk, where he takes lessons. Two months ago he

didn't know how to swim at all. Now he knows how to dive, too.

Antonio, a Haven Center resident, catches his breath as he takes

swimming lessons from Steve Bruner, left, at the Huntersville pool.

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