FAMILIES FIRST ANNUAL UPDATE 2007 annual RePORt

Run, Run as Fast as You Can!
John Hancock Financial
Services Donates Boston
Marathon Numbers and
Much More to Families First
Through the generosity of John Hancock
Financial Services, seven dedicated
Families First supporters received official
Boston Marathon numbers. These
magnificent seven individuals had the
opportunity to run the 111th Boston
Marathon and they raised more than
$34,000 for our parenting education
programs!
For more than 140 years, John Hancock
has been committed to strengthening
and improving communities in Boston
by providing support to the city’s youth
and families most in need. John Hancock
forms strategic partnerships with the
city of Boston, Boston Public Schools,
the Boston Police Department, and state
of the art non-profit organizations as
Families First, to identify the needs of
the community. John Hancock creates
innovative, educational programs to
leverage all of their resources, financial
and sponsorships like the Boston
Marathon to benefit Boston area
communities.
The relationship between John Hancock
and Families First began in 1997 when we
were awarded our first grant of $2,500.
For the past ten years, the company has
made increasing financial contributions to
Families First and has been crucial to the
development of our parenting education
programs. In 2004, we were awarded
a three-year $150,000 grant from them,
which enabled Families First to continue
our important work and to begin a
number of new initiatives.
John D. DesPrez III, President and Chief Executive Officer
John Hancock Financial, holding the ribbon as the winner
of the 2007 Boston Marathon crosses the finish.
As John Hancock’s headquarters is
located in South Boston district, their
funding supports our programs for lowincome
families in this neighborhood, as
well as the development of our curricula
Bullies, Targets, and Bystanders, which
helps parents address issues related
to bullying that their children may be
experiencing. John Hancock funded
the creation of our Family Resource Kits,
which are kits given to families living in
transition who participate in our Positive
Parenting workshop series, as well as
several of our other major initiatives,
including our Family Album Galas.
One of the most rewarding aspects of
our partnership with John Hancock has
been getting to know and work with their
incredible team of people. Carol Fulp,
Vice President of Community Relations,
has been a wonderful champion for
Families First. She and her husband,
Bernie, co-chaired our very first Family
Album Gala and introduced us to new
Families First Board Member, Carey Hoch,
Senior Vice President of Marketing at John
Hancock. Carey and her marketing team
helped Families First create some of the
beautiful collateral for the second Family
Album Gala.
Our ability to grow and reach more
families each year would not have
been possible without the dedication
and generosity that John Hancock
has shown to Families First and to the
Boston community over the years. On
behalf of the more than 4,500 families
and professionals we serve each year,
Families First wishes to express our
sincere appreciation to John Hancock
for their years of unfailing support
and commitment to the families and
communities we serve.