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Strengthening
Families in Southside
Virginia For The Children is a the lead agency in a coalition
of local organizations that has been awarded $71,150 from the Virginia
Department of Social Services (VDSS) to strengthen families across the
community. “Strengthening Families in Southside, Virginia”
is an initiative that will provide classes for fathers, healthy marriage
workshops and marriage mentoring, as well as youth activities focusing on
pregnancy prevention. This award is one of seven grants from VDSS
totaling $449,614. The statewide Strengthening Families Initiative focuses on
reducing non-marital births, connecting and reconnecting fathers with their
children, and encouraging the formation and maintenance of safe, stable,
intact two-parent families. “One of the goals for our particular project is
to increase the capacity of families to work together. We also want to help
them receive much-needed support from community agencies so they are able to
solve problems and improve the wellbeing of their children,” said Patricia
Carter, executive director of For the Children. Free parenting classes for fathers will be based
on the “24/7 Dad” curriculum created by the National Fatherhood Initiative in
Washington, D.C. During 2012 the
coalition will mobilize community stakeholders to achieve better outcomes for
families. A Strengthening Family Collaboration Team will meet several times over
the grant period to develop programs, partnerships, and networks. Collectively
they will identify and secure resources for greater economic, health,
employment, and educational opportunities for all families. |
Mission: To reduce risky behavior among area’s young
people and to enhance family relationships and lifestyles. About Us
For
The Children Partners in Prevention, Inc. is a 501(c)3
cooperative community agency, organized in 1997 to find and implement
strategies to reduce out-of wedlock pregnancies in the Martinsville/Henry
County area and to support families by improving family relationships and
lifestyles. During
its 13-year tenure, FTC has enhanced its mission by strengthening families
through the promotion of healthy relationships and marriage and the positive
involvement of fathers in the lives of their children. FTC was organized as a result of the
instances of teenage and out-of wedlock childbearing by a diverse group of
stakeholders in the Martinsville/Henry County area. This
group bought a broad range of expertise to organize this grassroots
organization, from the inception its’ board development, financial
management, organizing, strategic planning and staff and volunteer
management. Staff members have
received an enormous amount of technical assistance and support by the
partnership of collateral organizations who share similar missions. Staff
members have successfully managed a wide range of grant programs that
include: the Virginia Department of Health’s Chapter of the Commonwealth and
You – Virginia’s pregnancy prevention program, and the Virginia Fatherhood
Initiative; the Virginia Department of Social Service’s Child Enforcement
Program as well of a number of others during the twelve year tenure of this
agency. For
The Children is the region’s only agency with the sole mission of enhancing
family lifestyles and reducing teen and unintended pregnancies. For 10 years,
the organization has successfully managed a grant
with a fatherhood component from the Virginia Department of Health – Partners
in Prevention – as well as a Fatherhood Grant in 2001 under the leadership of
Ron Clark. Staff members have received a wide range of worthwhile training to
enable them to meet the needs of the communities they serve. |
Organizational Structure For The Children has one full-time employee; one college intern, a team of seven independent contractors that includes a retired male registered nurse and a web administrator who also engages men and facilitates male responsibility workshops. |
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Executive
Director |
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Ms.
Patricia Carter is a co-founder and executive director of
For The Children Partners in Prevention, Inc. She implemented the Baby Think
It Over and Why Wait? Programs. She provides oversight of the agency’s United
Way grant and facilitates a variety of prevention programs, including the
Safe and Drug Free Program and |
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Family Life Education for Henry County
Public Schools, as well as programs for the Henry County/Martinsville Department of Social Services, and a youth program for
Area 17 Workforce Investment, serving Martinsville, Danville, Pittsylvania
and Patrick counties. Board of Directors For The Children is overseen by a
Board of Directors with the financial management administered by a local
accounting firm. Phyllis
Page - Board Chair Creed
Taylor - Treasurer Richard
Cobb Lynn
Fitzgibbons Karen
Lackey Avery
Preston Stephanie
Wimbush Mable
Finney - Secretary, co-founder and former Co-Director |
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Marriage
Enrichment Class
Schedule Session 1 Jan.
7 to Feb. 25 Session 2 March
3 to April 21 Session 3 April
28 to June 16 Session 4 June 23 to Aug. 11 |
H.O.O.P.S. Program |
FTC marks 10th
Anniversary More... |
Educating Young
Parents For The Children offers an array of programs that help young people develop the skills necessary to become adults capable of making responsible decisions. |
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FTC’s Web site was designed and is maintained by Black Family Preservation, Group, Inc.