“[My family has] been involved with the Center for five years. When our youngest started Head Start, we received help to prepare her for kindergarten. She has since excelled in school and is now in second grade in the gifted program. Putting her in the Head Start program at the Center was the right move […]
“I really like coming to the Center because my daughter is an only child so I was looking for a place for her to play, meet, and be around other children. We started coming to playgroup, then Raising Readers, which was great because we received books. My daughter loves books. Now she is coming to […]
“[The Homewood-Brushton Family Support Center] brought us back to wanting to start over with our lives. They gave us so much support with housing, food, group sessions, tips for us for healthy living, and ways for me to gain back control of my life. After the fire we had lost everything. They helped us build […]
“I have four children who range from 4 to 17 years old. I participated in many different programs [at my Center]. The visiting nurse taught me CPR for children since I have a child with special needs. Raising Readers helped me engage my kids’ interest in books. Fire prevention helped us make a safe exit […]
“Family Support is an excellent program for helping families meet their goals and become better as a family. Family Support is more than just support for families: it is the total experience that helped us become better in our relationships with others. There is plenty of love and concern shared. It has been a true […]
“I am a great-grandmother helping to raise my grandchildren. Our Center inspires [us] to set goals and to achieve them. Once this has been done, they encourage us to step up to the next level. My Center encourages me to step outside my comfort zone and become involved with other organizations in my community. Now […]
“We came to the East Liberty Family Support center when my son was four years old. We were the first family to enroll. When I first joined Family Support, I was encouraged to be involved to help shape the program. I have accomplished so much in Family Support. I was first Vice-President and quickly moved […]
“With the Centers involved in my life, I became a better father, a better husband, and a better grandfather. I became a better person. I became a good leader thanks to my Family Center. When my wife enrolled our family at the Family Center 17 years ago, I didn’t realize that she was planting the […]
“The Family Support Center has been a foundation for me and my children. It has been a salvation. We have encountered tough times. The staff has been there through all of our highs and low points in life. They were there for my children and me when my mother passed away. They were there when […]
“I was looking for a preschool for my son, but I didn’t have money to pay for one. A staff person at the Lawrenceville Family Care Connection told me about the Kindergarten Readiness Program at Turtle Creek Family Care Connection. When we first started with the Center, I had postpartum depression. One of the Family […]
“I am a single working mom and I’m blessed and proud to belong to the LPFC! The Center services benefit my family in so many ways. They provide a safe environment, educational services for parents and children, and additional services such as an afterschool program, summer camp, a library, head start classrooms, a free field […]
“I cannot say enough for how Family Support and the [developmental] screening experience have supported me and my family. This is a hard journey and my Family Support experience reaffirms that I am not the only parent that has a child with this kind of issue. [I have been] inspired to use what I’ve learned […]
“When I found out what Family Support was, I called and asked questions and they answered and they said it’s not just for kids – it’s for adults, too. They have classes for adults. So I was wondering if we had to pay. They said no, it’s free, and I said are you sure? So […]
“The Family Center has become a communication bridge between us and the school: many times I have asked [my Family Development Specialist] to help me understand what the school is asking for, or if the teachers send me a note, she helps me to understand the issues my child is having. She also helps when […]
“My Center has helped me in so many ways. My son, born 13 weeks premature, is a child with disabilities. My Family Center has helped me find referrals to people who could help my son and have even provided transportation to the many appointments where buses just don’t run. I believe we can thrive as […]
“I’m newly single, four children, one with a disability. If it had not been for the Center almost eight years ago I know I wouldn’t have any of my children. “My son was born with a cleft palate. He is now two years old. He speaks with a delay, but because of [my Family Development […]
“Over the last three or four years, I’ve actually grown closer to my family. I’ve managed to maintain [abstinence] from alcohol, and a lot of it is due to these programs – like Allegheny Family Support and Allegheny Family Network. If it wasn’t for these programs, my family would not even be together today. “I’m […]
“The Family Center encouraged me to grow and become more independent. [The Center] helped me to acquire my GED, become a United States citizen and get my job. In 2001, I went on maternity leave and my son was born. I received home visits. On one of my visits, my family specialist noticed [something that […]
“According to statistics, my daughter is at risk for trauma, addictions, rage, criminality, school behavior, and performance problems as well as social and institutionalized stigmas and shame. “I’m here to [say] thank you. Thank you, Family Support, for your weekly parent-child activities… because there my daughter learned how to talk and socialize with other children. […]
“I have been enrolled at the Center since my youngest son was three years old. He was born addicted to drugs and CYF placed him with me when he was one and a half months old. He received early intervention services and they referred me to the Steel Valley Family Center right after he turned three. […]
“I grew up participating in a Family Support Center and after school program. I now attend college and I work. I know some youth who became struggling teen moms, others who ended up in jail, and still some did not get to reach my age. Youth need something to do, a place to be after […]
“I’m a first time parent. About a year and a half ago, [my Family Development Specialist] noticed that [my son’s] speech was delayed. I thought, oh, he’ll pick it up. But he didn’t. She asked that he be tested. They tested him and he is now receiving services. He’s having speech therapy. He has mastered […]
“Prevention programs do not sit well with some people because the rewards are way down the road somewhere. Well, my kids are down that road. They are safe, productive adults because they were involved in a Family Support Center with an afterschool program. And there are thousands of families like me all across the county.” […]
“I came to Pittsburgh as a young single woman and mother with a newborn child. I had no family or support system. Many times I became nervous and discouraged, feeling overwhelmed. It wasn’t easy trying to find housing, childcare and a job all alone. “I was recommended to the Hill District Center for Nurturing Families. […]