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Families Forward Community Connections - Spring 2017
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Back-to-School is Already Here!
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Families Forward needs your help! We have already begun preparations for our Back-to-School clothing and supply distribution for kids in our area. Last year, with your generous support, Families Forward served over 1,300 children, ensuring they were prepared for the first day of school!
This year we anticipate serving even more children, but we can't do it without your help!
Take a look at our most needed items. For more information, contact Katie Szymczak.
There are also numerous opportunities to get involved through volunteering or hosting a supply drive. Check out our website to see how you can help local children be ready for their first day of school!
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Save the Date - 33rd Anniversary Gala
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Together with several other homeless service providers, Families Forward will be participating in a 3-day effort to identify, count, and assess homeless families from May 23rd to May 25th.
The data collected during those three days will be used to ensure that the proper resources are being deployed throughout the county to
eliminate family homelessness by 2020.
Families Forward's Director of Housing Programs & Services, Elizabeth Andrade, is quoted in a recent
OC Register article as saying,
"We're going to prioritize the most vulnerable and match them to an intervention that meets their needs," Andrade says. "But there is a delay there. There's not an immediate solution." This 3-day count will help to reduce these delays and lessen the amount of time any family experiences homelessness.
More information on the Homeless Families Count Family Assessment Week and how you can get involved can be found at www.homelessfamiliescount.com.
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Grace came to Families Forward fleeing domestic violence. At the time, she was unemployed with poor credit and had no way of supporting herself and her children on her own. Through resources provided by Families Forward, Grace was able to end her marriage, find work and secure a stable place to live, all before having to grapple with the realities of homelessness.
Read more about Grace's journey to stability
here.
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Recently, Families Forward was able to honor and recognize some of our dedicated volunteers: Claire Readey, Rick Emerling,
SMPS Orange County, and The Capital Group - Irvine Campus
at the 2017 Spirit of Volunteerism Awards, hosted by
OneOC
.
Thank you for your generous service, support, dedication, and hard work all year round to Families Forward!
For information on how you or your company can get involved to help families in need, visit our
website or contact
Marissa Hall.
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Community Resource Fair Success
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Families Forward is excited to share that at this year's Community Resource Fair,
a record 962 individuals, parents, and children, were connected with, and received much-needed services from, over 80 local community organizations! Some of these services included:
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50 individuals received vision screenings, and qualified for free prescription glasses
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65 adult
s and children completed glucose tests
*100 free haircuts were provided by Paul Mitchell The School
*Over 14,000 pounds of food was distributed to attendees
We thank all partnering agencies for their participation, and for all of the sponsors, donors, and volunteers who made this event such a success.
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Families Forward relies on the support of the community, whether through volunteering, referring families in need of assistance,
product donations or financial contributions.
Your commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable families makes the difference.
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Connect with Families Forward
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