2006 GRANT RECIPIENTS

TEENS AS PARENTS $10,000 - The Teens as Parents program provides a weekly two-hour support group that meets once a week year-round. In addition, Teens as parents provides a one hour parenting class for teen parents. This class meets four times a week during the school year. Teen parents also receive individual assistance and support as needed.

FIRST STEPS TO SCHOOL READINESS $10,000 - First Steps to School Readiness is family centered, community based, culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate and gives participants an opportunity to work in partnership with staff. First Steps is an ongoing program that is offered two days a week, for two hours each day, throughout the year. In First Steps classes, adults benefit from the opportunity to develop relationship with each other and their children.

CHINESE/VIETNAMESE PARENTING PROGRAM $10,000 - The Parenting Program is designed to support Chinese and Vietnamese speaking parents and is focused on supporting school-age and early childhood parent education offering linguistically and culturally appropriate resources, classes and play groups. CISC provides realistic and practical solutions to the challenge of raising children in America. The staff aims to prevent child abuse/neglect by increasing parents’ knowledge and skills to strengthen their ability to support the development of bilingual and bicultural children and improve parent-child relations.

NURTURING PARENTING PROGRAM $7,500 - The Nurturing Parenting Program consists of two cycles of a 12-week parent education program. Each session consists of a 2½ hour format with dedicated parent-child interaction time intermingled with small group work where parents and children work separately (children are divided by age group). The program is a research validated model designed to prevent child abuse and strengthen families. The programs’ fundamental concept is that all members of the family grow, change and implement nurturing strategies into their lives.

FAMILY WORKS PARENTING CLASSES $6,500 - Family Works offers four six-week parenting classes for parents of infants/toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children and teens. Family Works’ parenting classes develop and increase the following protective factors for children: increase knowledge of child development; increase effective problem solving; increasing effective communication; increase use of non-punitive discipline and guidance. As a result of these increased skills, nurturing and bonding between the parent and child are also strengthened.

PROMOTING FIRST RELATIONSHIPS $8,037 - First Step Family Support Center provides parent education classes for low income parents with children (0 to 3) where parents: a) interact with their children and with each other while increasing their skill sets, b) learn from staff who model and promote positive relationships as a tool in promoting healthy child development and c) gain confidence, competence, and an increased investment in their child’s wellbeing.

THE NURTURING PARENT PROGRAM $11,000 - “The Nurturing Parent Program” by Dr. Stephen Bavolek is family-centered and designed to build nurturing skills as alternatives to abusive parenting and child rearing attitudes and practices. Through awareness and education, this program encourages non-violence, healthy decision-making and strengthened families. The program is recognized as a Best Practice by the US Department of Health and Human Services and encourages the protective factors of bonding and family skills.

STRENGTHENING MULTI-ETHNIC FAMILIES & COMMUNITIES $12,000
Three family support centers in Snohomish County, Lake Stevens Family Center, South Everett Neighborhood Center, and Familias Unidas: Latino Resource Center have partnered to provide “Strengthening Multi-Ethnic Families and Communities” (SMEFC) classes to families across the county free of charge. Categorized as a Promising Practice, SMEFC is an intensive 14-week program that emphasizes strong relationships, multicultural experiences and the empowerment of family members. The class is flexible enough that it does not require significant modification to meet the requests and unique qualities of families coming from diverse backgrounds, cultures and language groups.

IRAQI WOMEN’S GROUPS & PLAYGROUPS $10,000 - The Southwest Family Center, a program of Southwest Youth and Family Services, has expanded the Iraqi Women’s Group by including a parent-child play group modeled on a parent co-op. The Iraqi Women’s Group was formed in response to a need expressed by the wives in the families served by the Iraqi Community Center to meet socially away from families and children. They have been meeting weekly at White Center Heights Elementary School since July 2005. Eight to ten women attend regularly, most of whom are mothers; about 40% have young children in school and 50% have preschool children.