FAMILY SERVICES Helping Families Find Firmer Ground
A jewel in the crown of Collaborative Solutions for Communities (CSC) is the organization’s Family Services Program. Targeting families with children in the home who are under 18 years of age, the program provides parents with a wide range of case management, advocacy, referral, and coaching services to help them address critical goals and thrive. Buffeted by the pandemic and by an uneven recovery that left lower-income families out in the cold, clients of the Family Services Program encountered significant obstacles in 2021. Whether it was grappling with the challenges of an overstretched (and under-resourced) education system or encountering abuse and neglect, growing numbers of families turned to CSC for vital help and support.
Program Manager Patricia Sullivan said COVID-19 hit DC-area families hard.
“Last year, we served 148 families, and the need has only increased from there. So many people lost their jobs, and there was an understandable uptick in stress and anxiety as parents faced very real challenges putting meals on the table and paying for rent. Fortunately, the Family Services Program was able to step in.” Key features of the program include counseling, housing assistance and the provision of nutritious foods. “One of the things we were able to do was to provide Thanksgiving baskets to everyone on our caseload,” Sullivan said. “They were super grateful for that.” Another central component of the program is working with families to access government benefits. “Our clients often don’t know how to navigate the process, which can leave them feeling hopeless and helpless,” Sullivan said. “Because we’re in the community, and we understand what people are going through, they trust us. It’s why I love what I do: Each of our clients has their own strength, and they have faith in our ability to help them shine a light on it.” One of those clients is Rosa Martinez, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy. A mother of a 5-year-old and a 6-month-old, Rosa came to CSC seeking support accessing food stamps and benefits from the
148 Families were served FAMILY REHOUSING & STABILIZATION PROGRAM (FRSP)
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