Strengthening Families Initiative Success Stories

FamilyResourceCenterInitiative

Diemisamotheroftwochildrenundertheageoffive.Shefirst cametotheFRCinsearchofaworkshopforherchildrenand startedparticipatinginourMusicandMovement,Zumbiniand RaisingtheReaderworkshops.Herstoryisincludedhere:

“AftertheCOVID-19pandemic,myfour-yearoldsonwho usedtoloveschoolkeptrefusingtogotoschoolorany classroomsetup.EveryFridaymorningitwouldtakemea whiletoconvincehimtogotoclasswithhisyoungersister (1.5yearold).Andevenwhenhedidcomeintotheclass,he wouldnotparticipateincircletimeandinsteadwouldplaywith toysorhidehimselfinthecabinets.Iwasalittlebitupset abouthisbehaviorandwonderedifitwasrighttoforcehimto attend.However,todayIwasdrivingwithhim,andhewas singingtheAlphabetsongandtheFlyingLikeaButterflysong whichMs.Quinnieusuallyplays.Iwassosurprisedand overwhelmedwithjoy.Hedidpayattentionandlearninhis ownwayafterall.IamsogratefulforMs.Quinnie,Ms.Tram, andMs.Vanessaforthiswonderfulclassandforgivingusa chancetoonceagainberemindedtoneverunderestimatea child’sabilityortogiveuponthem.ForthatmyfamilyandI areverymuchappreciative.Manythanks!Bothofmykids lovedarttimeandthebookstheygottotakehomeevery week.Previously,Ireadtothem3-4daysaweekbutnow theywantabedtimestoryeverydayand4-5booksanight. It’sagreatideatolendbookstomotivateparentstoread moretothekidsanddevelopbookloversinthem.”—Mother

EducareFamilyResourceCenter

Duringthepandemic,theFRCparticipantwasn’tallowedto cometotheEducareFRCduetoCDCregulationsandforher, theFRCishersecondhome.Shewasusedtobeingatthe centerformostoftheday.TheFRCparticipantwentintoaminor depressionstateandfeltisolated,depressed,andneededtogo backtohernormalroutine.

Afteracoupleofweekswithoutanyprogrammingforcommunity members,theEducareFRCstartedworkingonvirtualevents, includingparentingworkshops,enrichmentclasses,events,and training.TheFRCparticipantwasabletogetaChromebookfrom theSanJosePublicLibrary,whichallowedhertoactively participateinmostofthetrainingandeventsprovidedbythe FRCteam.TheFRCparticipantalsohelpedoutreachformany eventsandbecameamemberoftheCACmeetings,and supportedthereinstatementoftheGen2Genprogram.Ina shortperiodoftimeaftertheFRCparticipantstartedhelpingat theFRCagain,herdepressionsymptomsdecreasedandher mentalhealthimproved.

“Thecenterismyhome.WhenIcan’tcometo visit,IfeellikeIcan’tbreathe.Myhappiness dependsonmebeingwithmycommunity.The FRCgivesapurposetomylife.”

HousingNavigation

Amotheroftwochildrenandherhusbandhadbeenstruggling financiallyandowedsixmonthsofrentbecausethehusband wasimpactedbyCOVID-19andcouldnotworkenoughhoursto payrent.Afterreceivingareferralfromherfriend,themother reachedouttotheHousingNavigationprogramandbasedon hersituationwasabletoqualifyforfinancialservicesthrough HomelessPreventionServices(HPS).

TheFamilySupportSpecialist(FSS)completedahousing assessmentandthemotherscoredenoughtobeenteredintothe HPSlotterysystemandwasapprovedtoreceivefinancial assistance.Asaresult,themotherwasreferredtoSacredHeart formultiplemonthsofassistanceandreceived$14,000topay herunpaidrent.Inaddition,themotherwasreferredtotheSan MiguelFRCforASQassessmentsforhertwochildrenaswellas forthediaperprogramandfamilyservices.Asaresult,the motherhasbeenreceivingdiapersandwipeseverymonthfor herbaby.

TheFSSworkedwiththemothertoimproveherincomeby sharingaffordablehousingresources,andemployment resources.Themotherisnowmorefinanciallyrelievedandis workingwithherhusbandonwaystobefinanciallystableby followingtheirstabilityplan.Themotherislookingforanightjob andthefamilyalsohasaspareroomintheirapartmentwhich theyarelookingtorentoutwhichwillhelpeasetheirfinancial burdens.

“ThehelpthattheFSSprovidedmehasbeen incredible.[Ireceivedalotof]helpfromthe communityworkersandagenciesfromFSS,to SacredHeartandFIRST5.Iappreciateeverything youguysdidandstilldoforourfamily.”

ICANFamilyResourceCenter

InAugust2019,amotherwithatoddlersonandanewbabyon thewayfoundICANservicesthroughaflyeratthelibrary.Her roleasawifeanddaughter-in-law,coupledwiththe responsibilitiesofmanagingamulti-generationalhousehold, raisingatoddler,andnotmeetingherownneedsledhertofeel lonely,depressed,andisolatedathome.Shewasalsoworried thathersonwasslowtotalkanddidnotknowwheretogofor help.Shewasveryresponsivetohisneeds,butalsoveryrushed fortime,whichresultedinherdoingthingsforhimratherthan lettinghimdothingsforhimself.Thebuilt-upfrustrationledtoa breakdownincommunicationbetweenherandherhusband.

UponstartingserviceswithICAN,shebroughthersontothe FamilyResourceCentereveryweek,attendingfamily engagement,childrenactivitiesandopenplayaswellasthe variousparentingworkshopsofferedbyICANtolearnmore aboutchildandbraindevelopmentduringthefirst5years.She attendedSEEDSandwasengagedwithstaffingettingtheASQ completedforherson.TheresultsoftheASQshowedthather sonwasinthegrayareainspeech,notsevereenoughtorefer outsostaffworkedwiththemotherandchildtoremedythe situation.Themotherlearnedtoallowherselfandherchildmore timeandnotrushingallthetime.Asaresult,hersonshowed thatheenjoyedtalkingandplayingwithotherkidsandadultsat thecenter,especiallywhenhismotherwaitedpatientlyand encouragedhimtotalk.Heisalsomoreabletoexpresshis needsandfeelings.

Withthesupportofhercasemanager,themotherwas successfulinre-establishingcommunicationwithherhusband. Sheevenconvincedherhusbandtoattendoneoftheearly childhoodeducationclassesatICAN,andhewashooked, fascinatedbytheknowledgeaboutchilddevelopmentandthe opportunitiestohelphistoddlerandthesoon-to-be-bornchildto reachtheirfullpotential.Themotherfeelsmuchlessisolated, moreemotionallyresilientandmoresociallyconnectedand supported.SheknowsthatshecanalwayscometoICANstaff forquestionsandassistance.Themotherandherhusbandare anxiouslyawaitingthesecondchild'sarrival,withthevisionof helpingtomakethatchildreachitsfullestpotential.

"ThankstoICANFamilyResourceCenteringeneraland ICAN'swomensupportgroupinparticular,Ihavelearnedto beresilientandcanbettercommunicatewithmyhusband now.Ifeelsomuchhappierandmuchmoresupportednow thatmyhusbandunderstandsandappreciatesmystruggles asastay-at-homemom.GoICAN!"

SanMiguelFamilyResourceCenter

Carmelaisa30-year-oldmomwhoparticipatedandvolunteered attheSanMiguelFamilyResourceCenter(FRC).Carmelawas invitedtotheFRCbyoneofherneighbors,whowasalsoa participatingfamily.

Carmelahadathreemontholdbabyatthetime,andwaslooking forenrichmentclassestohelpherandthebabysocializewith otherfamilies.Carmelaparticipatedinalloftheparenting workshops.ShealsoattendedArtEnrichmentandStoryTime trainingsprovidedbytheFRCstaff.NotonlywasCarmelaan activeparticipantattheSanMiguelFRC,shehasbeenanactive volunteerandFEACmembersinceSeptemberof2018.

CarmelasaidtheFRChasimpactedherinverypositiveways:it broughtheroutofisolationandconnectedhertothecommunity. Shesaidthattheparentingworkshopshavehelpedherto becomeabetterparentaswellasacommunityleader.

BridgeLibraryServices

Sarah,anewmomandher2children,attendedastorytime. Shesaidshehadseentheflyerattheelementaryschooland “wantedtoseewhatitwasallabout.”Otherparticipatingfamilies hadbeencomingtostorytimeforquitesometime,sothisnew momdidnotknowanyone.Shebroughtherchildrentostory timeonly,butdidnotstayfortheFRCtrainingthattheother momsattendedafterthestorytime.Herdaughterwasveryquiet atfirst;shewouldn’tleavehermother’sside,singanysongs,or participateinanyofthemusicandmovementactivities. However,thefamilykeptcoming,andbythethirdstorytime,the 3year-oldknewallthesongsandwouldhappilysingthem.She likedbeingupfrontandhelpedturnthepagesofthebook.She knewthemusicandmovementactivitiesandhelpedother childrenwhodidnotknowwhattodo.Heryoungerbrother couldn’ttalk,butshemadesuresherepeatedthestoryorsongs tohim.

“AtthebeginningofmyFRCjourney,Iwasveryshyandshort ofwords.Ididn’twanttoshareduringtheparentingworkshops orreadoutloudwhenasked.Iwouldalwayscomewithmy neighbor,wewouldbothbringourkidstogether.Ifshedidn’t come,Iwouldn’teither.AsthetimepassedandthemoreI cometotheparentingclasses,Ibecamemoreinvolved.I becamemorecomfortablesharingsomeofmyknowledge.I wantedtobeacommunityleadersoIdecidedtobecomea volunteer.Mybabyhaslearnedtocrawlandwalkhereatthe FRCandIlookforwardtocontinuingmyjourney.”

“Iwasworriedaboutmydaughterbeingsoquiet,butnowI seehertalkingandsinginganditbringsmegreatjoy.Thank youforthisstorytimeatChavezFRC.Ihavemadenew friendsandmydaughterandsonloveit!”