SPAN logo with ribbon stating Celebrating 30 Years of Family & Youth Advocacy 
SPAN-ing the Decades
30 Things About SPAN


Fun Fact #11:
Did you know that the Appalachian Trail runs through New Jersey?  Following in the footsteps of this famous hiking trail, SPAN travels north, east, south, and west again as the "Advocacy Trail" of New Jersey!

With a variety of state funded projects, SPAN lives up to its name, reaching into all corners of the state to support New Jersey families and their children as they navigate the paths, roads, and byways leading toward education, empowerment, and equality.
image of river in delaware water gap national recreation area

Check out this sampling of
SPAN's Statewide Projects

NJ Department of Education

  1. START Project (Statewide Technical Assistance and Resources Team)  
    Working with districts, schools, and communities to improve engagement of parents in their children's education.
     
  2. New Jersey Tiered Systems of Support Project  
    Providing training for school teams to ensure parents are partners in adopting New Jersey's Multi-tiered Systems of Support framework in their schools.

NJ Department of Health

  1. Family WRAP (Wisdom, Resources, Advocacy, and Parent to Parent Support)  
    Offering a holistic approach to providing information and support for families of children with special health care needs. 
     
  2. Improving Pregnancy Outcomes in Essex County  Connecting underserved women of childbearing age in Essex County to needed services including healthcare, health insurance, mental health and substance abuse services, parent to parent support, and more.
     
  3. Parents as Champions for School Health  Bringing together schools, families and communities to implement the principles of coordinated school health.

NJ Department of Children and Families

  1. S tatewide Parent Leadership Development for County Councils for Young Children
    Training diverse parents of young children to participate on County Councils for Young Children aimed at identifying local needs across issues and agencies for young children and their families.
     
  2. Essex County Council for Young Children  Supporting parents as leaders in a County Council for Young Children that advocates for families with young children in Essex County.

NJ Department of Human Services

  1. NJ Inclusive Child Care Project  Offering on-site training and assistance to child care programs to include children with special needs in programs with their typical peers.
     
  2. Partners for Prevention of Developmental Disabilities  Training healthcare providers across the state on effective health promotion communication with underserved women on preventing birth defects and developmental disabilities including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
SPAN's many health and education projects lead families of NJ on the road to better outcomes. Please consider making SPAN a regular donation, and help us clear the way for those trying to navigate the woods of "the system" and find the trail toward solutions .
 
Thank you for your contribution, 
Diana Autin & Debra Jennings
Co-Executive Directors

SPAN is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on funds from a variety of grants and also from people like you--our partners and parents, our families and friends. Help SPAN reach even more families in t he next 30 years and beyond!  
 
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