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Online survey connects Kent County parents to resources

FamilyFutures
Family Futures
10/13/22 08:53am
city Nonprofit Dispatches

This dispatch was added by one of our Nonprofit Neighbors. It does not represent the editorial voice of The Rapidian or Community Media Center.

Eighteen organizations partner together to provide home visiting support to local families.

About Family Futures

Family Futures is a nonprofit that works to create communities in which all children achieve their full potential. We do that by supporting children and strengthening families just like yours. Our programs focus on children under age five. We work with parents to understand their children’s development, supporting them every step of the way and connecting them to resources when needed. When we all set up children and families for success, communities thrive. For more information, go to familyfutures.org.

 

 

The Kent County Parenting Support Site (kentparentinfo.com) is a website that connects families to local home visiting programs that allow them to nurture their children’s health, development, and school readiness. Parents answer a few short questions on the website and are matched with an organization that best fits their needs based on their responses.

The Kent County Parenting Support Site was created in 2017 with the mission to easily connect families to home visiting resources. Since the creation of the website, more than 1,000 families in Kent County have been connected to organizations.

“Finding the community resource that is best for your family can be overwhelming,” said Candace Cowling, Executive Director of Family Futures. “These organizations are coming together to help solve that problem.”

Organizations participating in the Kent County Parenting Support Site include Family Futures, Arbor Circle, Cherry Health, Spectrum Health – Baby Scholars, Early On Michigan, Health Net of West Michigan, Kent County Health Department, Kent ISD, Bright Beginnings, MomsBloom, D.A. Blodgett, and Head Start for Kent County. These organizations make up the Home Visiting Provider Network Local Leadership Group, a community workgroup dedicated to spreading awareness about home visiting.

Home visiting is direct support to families from the comfort of their home. Caseworkers meet with families once a week or once a month depending on need and work with them to achieve their personal and familial goals.

“Our Case Managers hear stories from parents about how much these early childhood programs have supported them and were truly successful with the goals they had created for themselves,” said Kelli Doerr, Early Childhood/Fostering Connections Social Worker. “I highly recommend for parents to check the Parent Support Site to see which programs they may be eligible for!”

Kent County families that are pregnant or have a child under age six are encouraged to use the website.

 

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