Spring 2018
Table of Contents:
NoteFromLynne A Note From Lynne

Lynne with her daughter and granddaughter. 
How do you measure the success of an agency? Is it the number of people served? A problem solved? A change made? Goals met? Increased growth? Longevity?

These are the things we are thinking about here at Parenting Now! as we approach our agency's 40th year of existence. Back in 1978, we were Birth To Three. Our founders were meeting with their children at their feet, focused on creating a new kind of support for parents that went beyond intervention and into the factors that promote thriving families. They saw parents who were lonely, insecure, under confident and without information or support and knew that sometimes all you needed was a friendly voice. Now our founders' children are approaching 40 and we can say with certainty that their ideas revolutionized parenting and changed the field of parenting education. Heady stuff.  

Since those early visionary days of Birth To Three, we've seen a lot of changes. We changed our name to Parenting Now! We formalized our curricula and now sell it internationally. We are at the forefront of parenting educator training and train facilitators from all over the United States. We have thousands and thousands of alumni in our community-even generations (like my family)-that have benefited from the support and positive impact that our programs bring. It's quite a legacy!

I'd say that by any measure, Parenting Now! has been successful. It's been said that we run on miracles, but I think it's more than that. The hard, visionary work of staff, the relentless generosity of our board, volunteers and donors, and the continued advocacy of our alumni are what makes us successful.

So happy anniversary, Parenting Now! Join us in looking forward to seeing how we continue to grow!


Warmly,
 
Lynne Swartz
Executive Director
upcoming
Upcoming Events

Enjoy and support Parenting Now! at these events. 
  • March 17: The Joy of Grandparenting Workshop
  • April 17: Alumni & Ambassadors Lunch
  • May 13: Mother's Day 5K
  • May 20: Sarver Winery Flights & Bites
Parenting Now! events are added regularly. Check out our calendar or Facebook page (and "like" our page) to keep up to date with new and exciting opportunities and offerings.

"Roberto" was surprised when he found out he and his girlfriend were having a baby. They had not planned on having children. But when his baby boy, "Remi," was born, it was love at first sight.  Roberto signed up for Parenting Now!'s Program for Young Parents (PYP) to connect with other young parents and gain some parenting skills. Roberto's group first met around Halloween last year. Roberto talked about cute costumes that might be appropriate for his son, who had just turned one. During his son's first year of life, Roberto didn't get many chances to see his son, as the child's mother had moved to Washington. Nevertheless, the idea of what costume his son would wear for the fun night was all he could talk about. READ MORE
 
 
RotaryRaffle
In Memory of Sylvia Lee
We have lost one of our own. Sylvia Lee passed away December 19, surrounded by her family, after a sudden and brief illness. She was 74.
Sylvia joined Parenting Now! at the beginning when we were Birth To Three. She never left.
Sylvia wore many hats in her years with us. She was one of our enrollment specialists and may have been the first person many of you spoke with as you joined our programs. She also was one of our Parent HelpLine staff, listening as parents struggled with the issue of their day, providing encouragement, suggestions, and referrals.
Sylvia had many other gifts to share. She was our first and long-term writer/editor of this Parent Newsletter, producing it on our mimeograph machine, one copy at a time. She was an avid reader, so she included book reviews of wonderful children's books and support books for parents so we could all build our libraries with the best. She scoured the community for fun activities for families and added in the Calendar of Events so we could all build memories with our children. She edited our Resources for Families Poster, again cranking it out on our mimeograph, one by one. Every service provider in town knew that when Sylvia called it was time to update their information so we all knew where to find support. She edited our monthly articles in the Register Guard, recruiting contributors to provide the whole community with wisdom about common concerns we all have as parents. READ MORE
newsupdates
News and Updates
 

New Staff: Please join us in welcoming Parenting Now!'s newest staff members.

  • Anne Johnstone-Diaz, Parenting Educator 
  • Hali Burley, Parenting Educator
  • Meredith Tufts, Parenting Educator
  • Sharon Kelly, Parenting Educator
  • Jennifer Nelson, Healthy Familes Home Visitor
  • Virginia Miller, Healthy Familes Home Visitor
  • Abigail Reed, Children's Program Staff 
  • Cadence Webber, Children's Program Staff
  • Courtney Mumma, Children's Program Staff
  • Laurel King, Children's Program Staff
  • Sarah Canalas, Children's Program Staff
  • Wendy Dickover, Office Manager

Share Your Story:  What was your takeaway experience from Parenting Now?: Skills you learned, friendships you made, bonds you formed with your child? We want to hear from you! Email [email protected] to share your Parenting Now! moments.


Foundation Update: So many foundations and organizations support us. Thanks so much for recent support from:      

  • Children's Trust Fund of Oregon - All programs 
  • Quest Foundation -  Parenting: The First Three Years
  • Trust Management Services -  Parenting: The First Three Years
  • Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund -  Parenting: The First Three Years
  • Windermere Foundation -  Parenting: The First Three Years
  • United Rotary Clubs of Lane County -  Make Parenting A Pleasure
  • Spirit Mountain Community Fund -  Make Parenting A Pleasure
  • United Way of Lane County-  Make Parenting A Pleasure
  • Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation-  Program for Young Parents
  • LaneKids -  Make Parenting A Pleasure
  • Eugene Active 20-30 Club - Resources for Families Poster 
  • Ellen Tykeson & Ken Hiday -  Make Parenting A Pleasure Curriculum Update   


meetboard
Meet Our Board and Staff
When and why did you join the board of Parenting Now!?
I joined the Board approximately one year ago. I joined because I am an alumni. I know firsthand how important the tools and skills that PN! provides are. My children continue to reap the benefits of the classes I took in their earliest years. I know that the pressures of parenthood often feel like more than a "healthy" family can handle. I can only imagine what families facing unemployment, poverty, long-term illness, addiction, single-parenting, or other risk factors face. Parenting is one of the most challenging aspects of life. It requires a commitment physically and mentally, but also on a resource level. Parenting is also one of the most important and demanding roles a human being can take on during their lifetime. It is wonderful that there is a resource such as PN! to help teach people how to parent and that it is ok to not know what to do or want to know how better to handle a challenging situation. We have to be taught many things in life, why not parenting?  READ MORE
 
Wendy Dickover, Parenting Now! Office Manager

What's your favorite thing about working at Parenting Now!?
The people and the diversity of the job! 

What type of work do you do for Parenting Now!?
Anything from answer the phone to changing the toilet paper, lol.  READ MORE

gallery
Photo Gallery
This past fall and winter were filled with winter cheer and family fun, including our second annual Preschool Fair! We hope you will be able to join us at future happenings!

This past October, Parenting Now! hosted a special Halloween Baby Connection.
The Giving Tree was a huge success this year. Here's PN! staff member Min Yi surrounded by gifts going to kids in need.  
This winter, Parenting Now!, in partnership with United Way of Lane County, organized the Great Balloon Raffle, which asked PN! employees to donate to United Way and pop balloons to find out what their prize was!
We met so many families at the Preschool Fair this February!

Old Friends and Flirting With 40
Alumni Mike and Anna Lowden invest in our future with $25,000 gift
weebit
You know that saying, "The years are short, but the days are long"? I think a lot of us are feeling that around here. How in the world could Parenting Now! turn 40 this October? For some of our long-time staff, it feels like yesterday they were meeting with groups in people's homes as Birth To Three was just a whisper of the community presence it has now become.
 
However, there is one way we can see the evidence of our years: donation records. We now have alumni whose Birth To Three babies give to us. We have huge filing cabinets recognizing decades of giving from the many who recognize the value of our work, but especially our alumni, who know first-hand the impact Parenting Now! has on our community. Mike and Anna Lowden are one such couple. Mike and Anna have supported us for over 25 years.  READ MORE
thankyou
Thank You for Your Support!
Whether you refer parents to us, have joined our Sustainer Fund, shop for us on Amazon Smile, have designated us as an eScrip beneficiary, or are one of our steadfast donors, we thank you for your belief in us and our vision to create a world where all children are raised by nurturing, supportive parents.