EMPOWERING CHILDREN, ADULTS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL.

Creating a community that provides opportunity for all

Source: Nonprofit submitted responses

Goal One: Deliver a high quality, cost-efficient and effective range of human service, health and education programs that meet our communities’ needs and facilitate positive outcomes.

Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.

Goal Two: Expand and retain a balanced, diversified and innovative mix of revenues and other assets to support Family Centers’ current and future operational and capital needs.

Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).

Goal Three: Recruit, develop and retain a mission-driven workforce that embraces and champions Family Centers’ culture and values.

Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).

Describe an investment in leadership

Professional development and the growth of our leadership team has long been a priority of Family Centers. One key area of focus over the past year is in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) arena. In order to help Family Centers achieve its DEI goals, our Leadership Team participated in an intensive 6-month coaching program to gain the skills and ability to engage staff in conversations related to racial equity and organizational improvement.

This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:

• Strategic Partnerships

• Networks of Collective Impact Efforts

• Thought Leadership

• Raising Awareness

• Community Building

• Policy Advocacy

What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?

In the lower Fairfield County, CT area, Family Centers is often viewed as an organization committed to collaboration. Family Centers is a community leader in collective impact projects, and routinely seeks out opportunities to work with partner organizations to tackle complex societal challenges. Family Centers is a key partner in the Vita Health & Wellness collaborative and Stamford Cradle to Career initiatives. Both focus on finding solutions to overcoming the Opportunity Gap and social determinants of health to provide equitable access to services for all residents. Additionally, Family Centers is a founding partner of the Stamford Stands Against Racism movement. In addition to serving on these community collaborations, our social media presence is very active and routinely highlights our work with our many partners.

As essential workers, Family Centers’ medical professionals and administrative staff have remained on the front lines and are sometimes the only lifeline for the program participants. Family Centers’ Federally Qualified Healthcare Clinic at Wilbur Peck Court has remained open for acute medical and emergency dental needs by appointment. Telehealth services have also been provided to patients. Additionally, the Stamford CARES (Coalition for AIDS Resources, Education and Services) program has remained open for residents living with HIV and AIDS. Medical case management, needle exchange and testing services have remained available on weekdays at the Stamford Government Center by appointment. Mental health services remain especially vital as the community continues to face challenges presented by the current COVID-19 health crisis. The stress associated with changes in daily routine and social isolation have been particularly challenging for those with pre-existing mental health conditions. In recent months, the behavioral health team at Family Centers has experienced an uptick in requests in mental health counseling. The Trauma Response Team provided rapid crisis response and counseling to members of our community; 17 of 29 responses were due to COVID-19. Additionally, approximately 4,827 virtual counseling sessions were provided to clients by Outpatient Behavioral Health and School Based Health Centers clinicians. From March through June 2020, the Early Care and Education (ECE) program staff maintained a sense of normality for students while seeking ways to ensure they continued their learning from home and had access to support and resources under such challenging circumstances. The program provided over 400 at-home lesson plans and maintained a connection with students and their parents via telephone, email and videoconferencing platforms, such as Zoom.