The PAMRC is a web-based resource sponsored by the Greater Philadelphia Healthy Marriage Coalition (GPHMC). 

The Philadelphia Area Marriage Resource Center is organized based upon the following philosophies and principles:

1. Belief in the value of education in the context of the Marriage Life Cycle theory - and in the importance of providing marriage-related programs and education to couples at each step in the Marriage Life Cycle. For first marriages, this includes programs at each of the following relationship stages:
   1. Seriously Dating (pre-engagement),
   2. Engagement (marriage preparation courses),
   3. Newly Married Couples,
   4. New Parents (parenting class),
   5. Marriage Enrichment (a combination of ongoing weekly programs and "special events"),
   6. Empty Nesters
   7. Troubled Marriage Interventions, and 
   8. Post-Separation Reconciliations.

   Supplementing the above first-marriage programs are those for second marriages including:

   9. Divorce Recovery Programs,
   10. Re-marriage preparation programs, and 
   11. Stepfamily support groups. 

   All of the above-listed programs are to have a strong emphasis on developing strong communication skills, and will be supplemented by a standalone series of Communication Skills classes to support the communication modules contained in each of the other courses / programs.
   
   PAMRC’s initial emphasis in 2004 will be on encouraging churches and community organizations within The Greater Philadelphia area to develop, deliver, and encourage participation in programs for Marriage Preparation, Marriage Enrichment, Communication Skills and Troubled Marriages. 

2. Networking among faith based, community based organizations and other professionals so that not every church or organization has to provide all of the above courses/programs to its members. Rather, the idea is that all of the above programs will be available somewhere in each community or neighborhood, and the information about all of the courses/programs will be available on a website managed by the GPHMC. This way pastors, therapists, and community leaders will be able to refer their couples to the program(s) which best meets the couples' needs which is located in reasonably close proximity to the couples who are being referred.



3. The GPHMC will assist faith based, community organizations, and others within the Greater Philadelphia area who want to add any of the above-listed programs to their repertoire to select and implement the relevant program(s) of their choice. The key assistance areas include finding and evaluating the relevant programs, coordinating the training of the people within the faith based and/or community organizations who will be leading the programs, and promotion of the programs.



4. Communication between and among the PAMRC and the thousands of people who touch the lives of couples in the Greater Philadelphia area will be facilitated by town hall meetings, information sessions, an annual Healthy Marriage summit and the distribution of regular e-mail updates prepared by the GPHMC for all interested parties.



5. The goal of the Greater Philadelphia Area Marriage Resource Center is to strengthen marriages and reduce the number of divorces within the Greater Philadelphia area. Objectives for 2004 – 2005 include:
   1. Increase the breadth and depth of Marriage Preparation programs offered within the Philadelphia area to increase the participation in, and quality levels of, preparation that engaged couples receive before getting married;
   2. Increase the number of couples who participate in some sort of structured Marriage Enrichment program during the year;
   3. Increase the number of, and participation in, Communication Skills courses in the greater Philadelphia area; 
   4. Increase the number of, and participation in, Troubled-Marriage and Divorce-Intervention programs offered within The Greater Philadelphia area;
   5. Begin the implementation of Community Marriage Policies in The Greater Philadelphia area.

   Site Map
   © 2008 Philadelphia Area Marriage Resource Center
   (215) 628-2450

   Website Design by Murphy Design Studios