WHEN MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO'S Civic Journalism Initiative, Family and Children's Service, and the Minnesota Historical Society conceived of the Family Strength project, they wanted to be sure this special project was a catalyst for action. Here are some steps families and organizations can take to strengthen family life:
The Intentional Family: Family Ties in Our Modern World, (Addison-Wesley, $22), a book by University of Minnesota family therapist William J. Doherty, gives solid advice on how to improve family life in today's hurried world.
Family Volunteers
Want to get your family involved in a volunteer project? The Westminster Presbyterian Church's free dinner and transitional housing programs are both 10 years old. "It takes an incredible amount of leadership, patience, and time for programs to become that successful," said former associate pastor Kay Slaikeu. Westminster's staff welcomes volunteers in both programs and gives advice about replicating them. To learn how to get your own family involved, call Outreach Director Phyllis Sutton at 612-332-3421.
Family to Family
Since 1988, Family to Family Ties has matched families who want to improve their lives with volunteer families trained to provide information and ongoing support. The approach assumes volunteer and participant families can learn from each other. Organizations interested in starting a family mentoring program or families interested in participating can call Mary Schatzlein at 341-3770.
Community Livingroom
The block club concept often has become too oriented towards fighting crime, whereas the Community Livingroom is designed to bring people together to talk about common concerns and help each other on an individual level. Freeport West's Stephanie Ball will help other neighborhoods start their own Community Livingrooms - just give her a call for information at 612-824-3040.
Community Directory
The Bryn Mawr neighborhood in Minneapolis puts out a community directory. Other communities interested in how it is done can call Chris Bacon, 612-374-0170.
Minnesota Family Day
Violence Free Duluth's Religious Action Team has agreed to champion the Family Day idea where a certain time each week is carved our for family time. Kathy Nelson, pastor at Peace United Church of Christ in Duluth, and Frank Jewell, violence prevention coordinator for Violence Free Duluth, are beginning planning sessions to test the idea's feasibility. If this idea appeals to you as an organization, business, or individual and you want to get involved, call Nelson at 218-724-3637 or Jewell at 218-726-2067. Mary Azzahir, director of the nonprofit Phillips/Powderhorn Cultural Wellness and Health Education Center in Minneapolis, has been promoting the idea of Tuesday as family dinner night. The Allina Foundation, a partner in the startup of the Cultural Wellness and Health Education Center, has agreed to partner with Azzahir to help move the family dinner concept forward. Want to join them in discussing ways to get families to set aside more time for themselves, call Azzahir at 612-721-5745.
Rural Outreach Programs
At Hibbing's Family Resource Center, Monday is open house night for parents. Moms and dads bring their kids, have an informal pizza dinner, and then the kids go off to the child-care area while their parents talk. Community counselor Bev Johnson, who attended the Virginia family strength forum, says, "The best part is that it gives single parents a support system, a place to share with people they have things in common with." For information on getting a similar support system established, call Julie Hendrickson at the Hibbing Family Resource Center at 218-262-5662.
Person to Person, Family to Family Outreach
People in small communities and metro areas alike have told us that as extended family diminishes, making personal, substitute familial connections to people outside the immediate family has become extremely important. Social service agencies are aware of the void and are interested in facilitating ways for people to meet with other people. Establishing connections is a growing trend among social service agencies, and Family and Children's Service is at the forefront of the movement. If you are an individual or organization interest in helping that movement grow, contact Terry Steeno at Family and Children's Service, 612 341-1620.
Noon-time Parenting and Other Family-Related Discussions
Family and Children's Service, the Allina Foundation and several corporate and employee organizations are working on establishing a speakers' bureau devoted to parenting and family topics. A company's employee committee would decide the topics to be discussed and bring in the speakers. Interested in getting involved in the program as a speaker or company sponsor or participant? Call Terry Steeno at 612 341-1620.
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