2008 Annual Report - Families First Parenting Programs
2008 Annual Report - Families First Parenting Programs
2008 Annual Report - Families First Parenting Programs
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families first<br />
annual update<br />
<strong>2008</strong> annual report<br />
1
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> partners with Girl Scouts Beyond Bars and<br />
supports families during particularly challenging times<br />
Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (GSBB) was<br />
created over 14 years ago through a<br />
partnership between the Girl Scout<br />
Council of Central Maryland and the<br />
national Institute of Justice. While<br />
decreasing the negative impact of<br />
parental separation is the primary goal<br />
of GSBB, the program also aims to<br />
nurture, and in some cases reestablish,<br />
mother-daughter relationships.<br />
according to the Bureau of Justice,<br />
2.1 million people are incarcerated in<br />
the united States, and 6% are women.<br />
approximately 75% of female inmates<br />
report having had primary care of<br />
their children prior to incarceration.<br />
roughly 1.5 million children have a<br />
parent or parents who are incarcerated<br />
within the united States. Incarceration<br />
has extensive impact on both the<br />
incarcerated mothers and their children.<br />
Children with incarcerated parents<br />
tend to either internalize or externalize<br />
feelings of depression, anxiety, and<br />
fear of abandonment. Younger children<br />
tend to display signs of developmental<br />
regression. When children externalize<br />
these feelings, they can act out behaviors<br />
of delinquency, truancy, teen pregnancy,<br />
and drug abuse.<br />
an alarming concern is that children with<br />
incarcerated parents are six times more<br />
likely to end up incarcerated themselves.<br />
as Melanie pereira, the Maryland Deputy<br />
Commissioner of Corrections, states,<br />
“I have been in corrections for 18 years<br />
and have seen three generations of<br />
people in facilities – grandmother,<br />
mother, and daughter at the same time.<br />
I have seen where the mother was here,<br />
gave birth to a child, and the child is<br />
now here.” these statistics, as well as<br />
others, support the need for providing<br />
parenting education and support to<br />
these families.<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> parenting programs, in<br />
partnership with the Girl Scouts of<br />
eastern Massachusetts’ Girl Scouts<br />
Beyond Bars program, is dedicated<br />
to providing parenting education and<br />
support to incarcerated mothers. last<br />
year, <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> began facilitating<br />
workshops that correlated with monthly<br />
themes established by the Girls Scouts.<br />
During the monthly mothers’ meetings,<br />
the mothers also actively engaged in<br />
the planning process of the monthly<br />
Saturday visits with their daughters. the<br />
two hour meetings for the girls and<br />
their mothers include troop activities<br />
that provide an opportunity to practice<br />
positive communication between the<br />
mothers and daughters and encourage<br />
the families to discuss and learn the skills<br />
needed to build and sustain healthy<br />
relationships. as one participant stated,<br />
“Girl Scouts has been very helpful to<br />
me and to my daughter. We have a very<br />
good connection. two-and-a-half years<br />
of not being able to be there when she’s<br />
growing up is hard and painful. But the<br />
way I see it, I’m a mother everyday. I<br />
cannot put myself down; my daughter<br />
gives me the strength every day to do<br />
this.” (Metro West Daily news)<br />
In fiscal year 2009, the Girl Scouts<br />
Beyond Bars program asked <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />
to expand our programming model to<br />
South Middlesex Correctional Center<br />
as well as to the caregivers of these<br />
families. Due to this potential increase<br />
in programming with incarcerated<br />
parents, <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> oriented a select<br />
group of parenting educators to this<br />
population through a full day training on<br />
working with incarcerated mothers and<br />
a walking tour of MCI-Framingham. at<br />
this time, we have scheduled 18 parent<br />
workshops at both MCI-Framingham and<br />
South Middlesex Correctional Center<br />
throughout the course of this fiscal year.<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> is also working closely with<br />
the Girl Scouts of eastern Massachusetts<br />
to develop a sustainable program model<br />
inclusive of parenting education and<br />
support for all family members impacted<br />
by incarceration. this is truly an example<br />
of a partnership in action!
Dear Friends of <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong>,<br />
Happy New Year! We hope <strong>2008</strong> was filled with many meaningful<br />
moments and time with friends and family. At <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> <strong>Parenting</strong><br />
<strong>Programs</strong>, we just celebrated a major milestone in our organization’s<br />
history – our 20th Anniversary!<br />
As we reflect on the last 20 years of providing parenting education, we<br />
are very much reminded of those who have helped us along the way.<br />
Over the years, our parenting educators, staff, board members, donors,<br />
partner sites, and Friends Council have all contributed to <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />
in countless ways. You are the reason we continue to thrive each day and<br />
reach more and more parents each year. Throughout the pages of our <strong>2008</strong><br />
<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong>, we have highlighted many of these wonderful relationships<br />
and partnerships.<br />
<strong>2008</strong> was an incredible year for <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong>. We provided 70% more<br />
workshops than the previous year, reaching nearly 4,500 parents and<br />
professionals. As evidenced by the increase in our programs, there is<br />
clearly a high demand for support for parents. While families continue to<br />
feel the ups and downs of the economy, longer work days, and parenting<br />
in stressful circumstances, we continue to devote our resources to reaching<br />
as many parents, caregivers, and professionals as possible. We could not do<br />
this critical work without you. Cheers to another 20 years of supporting<br />
families to come...<br />
Best wishes for 2009,<br />
Crista Martinez Padua Melora Balson<br />
Executive Director Chair, Board of Directors
1988<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> begins<br />
offering workshops at<br />
the Boston Children’s<br />
Museum.<br />
1988 - 1991<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> continues to revise<br />
our workshop model, develops new<br />
parenting education curricula, hires<br />
additional <strong>Parenting</strong> Educators, and<br />
develops outreach strategies for serving<br />
parents in other neighborhoods<br />
throughout Greater Boston.<br />
In 1988 a group of parenting educators<br />
from Wheelock College came to us<br />
at the Boston Children’s Museum<br />
and said… “Here is what we know:<br />
good parenting is anything but<br />
child’s play... parents need help.”<br />
We agreed and were delighted to<br />
get the conversation going, right<br />
from the start!<br />
Jeri robinson,<br />
Boston Children’s museum<br />
1991<br />
Workshops in<br />
transitional housing<br />
settings begin.<br />
1992<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> outgrows<br />
the Boston Children’s<br />
Museum and relocates<br />
to Central Square,<br />
Cambridge, MA.<br />
1993<br />
Writes and submits first<br />
grant proposal.<br />
1994<br />
Offers 16 workshops<br />
in Spanish; holds first<br />
fundraising event,<br />
Comedy Night; creates a<br />
formal Advisory Board.<br />
Our unique approach<br />
1996<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> collaborates<br />
with Chinatown<br />
Coalition to provide<br />
parenting workshops in<br />
Chinese.<br />
Kids don’t come with instruction manuals. unfortunately, in today’s world,<br />
we rarely get the information, skills, or networks of support needed to<br />
provide the healthiest, most nurturing environments for our children.<br />
Instead, parents often feel like they are “going it alone.” Without easy<br />
access to extended family or other resources that used to exist in<br />
communities, parents can feel isolated, frustrated, and confused about<br />
the best things to do or say to help their children. add the common<br />
challenges of working multiple jobs, divorce, single parenting, or even<br />
poverty, homelessness, and teen parenting, and you have a sure recipe<br />
for family tension. Clearly, parents need more help than ever. Whether or<br />
not they get this help can mean the difference between a healthy family<br />
and a family in crisis.<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> recognizes that there is no one right way to parent and that<br />
not all techniques work for all parents. there are, however, more effective<br />
ways to parent, and our goal is to provide parents with a range of tools<br />
and strategies that they can have at their disposal.
1998<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> becomes<br />
independent of<br />
Wheelock College and<br />
gains 501(c)(3) status.<br />
1998 - 2001<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> builds strong Board of<br />
Directors and Management; conducts a<br />
Multicultural Training project and offers<br />
programs in multiple languages; carries<br />
out a Major Gift/Capital Campaign that<br />
raises $1.5 million for our endowment<br />
and the Fund for Growth.<br />
2002<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> begins<br />
offering training for<br />
professionals.<br />
2003<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />
transitions<br />
organizational<br />
leadership from our<br />
Founding Director to<br />
our current President<br />
and CEO, Crista<br />
Martinez Padua.<br />
<strong>2008</strong> Accomplishments<br />
2005<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />
translates our core<br />
curricula into Spanish<br />
to ensure cultural<br />
competency and develops<br />
a “parenting kit” for<br />
program participants in<br />
transitional<br />
housing settings.<br />
2006<br />
Hosts our first<br />
“Family Album Gala”<br />
fundraiser.<br />
2007<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> organizes<br />
a <strong>Parenting</strong> Education<br />
Summit with Wheelock<br />
College. Adopts a new<br />
logo and colors to<br />
reflect our growth over<br />
the past two decades.<br />
Served nearly 4,500 parents and professionals who work with families throughout Massachusetts.<br />
offered more than 600 workshops – 70% more workshops than we offered only one year prior.<br />
Broadened the scope of our programs by working at new sites in communities such as new Bedford,<br />
Fall river, Fitchburg, and Marblehead.<br />
<strong>2008</strong><br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />
celebrates our<br />
20th Anniversary!<br />
Became a partner organization of Boston Mayor thomas Menino’s initiative, Countdown to Kindergarten.<br />
Served 300 parents through foster care parent and incarcerated parent workshops at Dare Family<br />
Services, Children’s Services of roxbury, Boston’s Hope: Home for little Wanderers, and Girl Scouts<br />
Beyond Bars at MCI-Framingham.<br />
our executive Director, Crista Martinez padua, was appointed by Governor Deval patrick and Mayor<br />
thomas Menino to several city and state task forces devoted to school readiness.<br />
produced a White paper entitled “envisioning, energizing, and empowering relationships – Findings<br />
from the parenting education Summit” to share the recommendations produced at the 2007 parenting<br />
education Summit organized by <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong>.<br />
3
4<br />
Our Core Curricula<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> has found that three simple ideas are key to building positive relationships between parents and children. These<br />
three pillars – positive discipline, building self-esteem, and learning clear, positive communication – form a core curriculum<br />
that is at the foundation of all of our teaching. As important, <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> espouses a preventive, strength-based approach,<br />
encouraging parents to build on their positive qualities and insights to benefit interactions with their children. <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />
bases its parenting curricula on research-based work of leading child development and parenting scholars and researchers,<br />
including Erikson, Bronfenbrenner, Sameroff, Vygotsky, Baumrind, Ginott, Brazelton, Hallowell, Elkind, and Ames.<br />
90% of our programs are<br />
delivered in partnership<br />
with organizations that<br />
serve low inCome and<br />
homeless families.<br />
Our services<br />
ParentinG WorkShoPS<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> has created over 30 interactive parenting<br />
workshops designed to help parents become more confident<br />
and effective and to reduce their feelings of isolation.<br />
These curriculum-based workshops range from one to<br />
six weekly sessions and cover a broad range of parenting<br />
topics and issues.<br />
ProFeSSional traininG<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> has designed training targeted to the<br />
type of professionals that typically interact with parents.<br />
Teachers, child care providers, case managers, or health care<br />
personnel can delve into our specialized trainings on topics<br />
such as <strong>Parenting</strong> Essentials, Creating Partnerships with<br />
Diverse <strong>Families</strong>, and Supporting Parents in Stressful and<br />
Uncertain Times. Known for their rich content, participants<br />
often take these trainings for continuing education units<br />
(CEUs) or for credit in a credential-giving program.<br />
knoWledGe leaderShiP<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> has long been known as the nexus of applied<br />
knowledge in parenting education. Each of our curricula<br />
Low Income /<br />
Homeless Parents<br />
Parents Who Pay<br />
For Our Services<br />
Low Income /<br />
Homeless Parents<br />
Parents Who Pay<br />
For Our Services<br />
Community Organizations<br />
is researched and assembled by experienced writers who<br />
Schools and Education Centers<br />
incorporate the latest findings in social, psychological, and<br />
Community Early Care and Preschool<br />
developmental research. We hold Organizations<br />
focus groups and pilot<br />
Transitional Housing Environments<br />
programs with groups Schools Afterschool of parents, and <strong>Programs</strong> Education using the feedback Centers from<br />
these sessions to make Early Religious further Care Institutions revisions. and Preschool Once our workshops<br />
have been fully developed Prison / Pre-Release <strong>Programs</strong><br />
Transitional<br />
and tested,<br />
Housing<br />
they<br />
Environments<br />
are offered in<br />
Hospital / Community Health Centers<br />
the community and continually evaluated to ensure quality<br />
Afterschool <strong>Programs</strong><br />
content and delivery.<br />
Religious Institutions<br />
advancinG the Field<br />
Prison / Pre-Release <strong>Programs</strong><br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> promotes the importance of parenting<br />
Hospital / Community Health Centers<br />
education and advances social change on a broader level.<br />
This work includes producing such events as the National<br />
<strong>Parenting</strong> Education Summit (2007), which brought<br />
together the best and brightest minds in parenting education<br />
to establish guidelines and goals for the field. In partnership<br />
with groups like Planned Parenthood and WGBH, <strong>Families</strong><br />
<strong>First</strong> has hosted panel events that bring together parenting<br />
experts to discuss the latest issues in today’s society. And<br />
across the country, whenever we are called, we share our<br />
expertise at conferences and trainings to help broaden and<br />
deepen the field of parenting education.
Children’s Services of Roxbury<br />
Founded over thirty years ago, the mission<br />
of Children’s Services of roxbury (CSr) is to<br />
provide high quality services and programs<br />
to economically disadvantaged infants,<br />
children, adolescents, and their families,<br />
thereby promoting and strengthening family<br />
life and individual growth. CSr addresses<br />
issues related to unemployment, housing,<br />
substance abuse, healthcare, literacy, and<br />
parenting, offering over 20 social service<br />
programs to about 2,600 people each year.<br />
CSr’s Intensive Foster Care program works<br />
to place children in stable, loving, nurturing<br />
foster homes. the goal of the program<br />
is to find both short-term and long-term<br />
placements for at-risk children and youth<br />
who have been abused and/or neglected<br />
and also have a broad range of emotional,<br />
physical, and developmental special needs.<br />
Foster parents in the program receive<br />
eight weeks of thorough training and are<br />
supported by a full-time staff of social<br />
workers and case managers. they also<br />
attend bi-weekly meetings to discuss the<br />
progress of the children in their care and<br />
to receive continuous training in effective<br />
foster parenting techniques.<br />
Seeking to fill a critical service gap in its<br />
parenting education programs for foster<br />
parents, CSr contacted <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> in<br />
2007 and asked us to help meet the needs<br />
of this population. primarily women, these<br />
foster parents come from diverse ethnic<br />
and linguistic backgrounds, speaking<br />
english, Spanish, and/or Haitian Creole in<br />
their homes. they vary in age, as do the<br />
children they foster.<br />
In fiscal year <strong>2008</strong>, we began a partnership<br />
with CSr delivering 32 parent workshops<br />
and professional trainings to foster parents<br />
who participate in CSr’s intensive foster care<br />
program. to meet the needs of CSr’s diverse<br />
population, we provided workshops in both<br />
english and Spanish. our programming has<br />
included workshops on discipline, selfesteem,<br />
and adolescent development. We<br />
have also provided professional trainings on<br />
cultural competency, parenting essentials,<br />
and ways to work with teen parents. CSr<br />
is extremely satisfied with our services and<br />
has now scheduled 26 more programs to<br />
take place in fiscal year 2009. CSr also runs<br />
an Intensive Foster Care program out of<br />
their tewksbury office and has requested a<br />
comparable program model for those foster<br />
parents. We are currently looking for ways to<br />
financially support an increase in services to<br />
this organization and foster parents in need<br />
of support and information.<br />
We know that our programs make a<br />
difference based on comments from<br />
Children’s Services of roxbury like these:<br />
“I am writing to thank you for providing<br />
trainings for our foster parents at Children’s<br />
Services of roxbury (CSr). Your trainings have<br />
been able to address the unique situations<br />
intensive foster care parents and our regular<br />
foster parents have to address. We would<br />
not have been able to offer such quality<br />
workshops without your subsidized rate.<br />
a number of topics have been covered<br />
by <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> parenting programs, all of<br />
which have been valuable in providing<br />
our foster parents with additional skills<br />
to effectively foster these children, many<br />
having challenging behaviors. the <strong>Families</strong><br />
<strong>First</strong> parenting programs trainers were always<br />
prompt and well prepared. We have<br />
received positive feedback from our foster<br />
parents regarding the trainings. <strong>Families</strong><br />
<strong>First</strong> parenting programs has provided<br />
valuable information to our foster parents,<br />
and CSr has been very pleased with the<br />
trainings provided.”<br />
Ted Blake, Family Resource<br />
Supervisor, CSR<br />
5
6<br />
Program Site <strong>Report</strong><br />
FiScal year July 1, 2007 – June 30, <strong>2008</strong><br />
early care & PreSchool<br />
Allston-Brighton Early Childhood<br />
System of Care<br />
Associated Early Child Care and<br />
Education, Boston<br />
Brockton Day Nursery<br />
Brockton Healthy <strong>Families</strong><br />
Child Care Resource Center, Cambridge<br />
Child Focus Center, Charlestown<br />
Children’s Center, Groton<br />
Community Day Care, Lawrence<br />
Community Partnership for Children,<br />
Fitchburg<br />
East Boston Community Partnerships<br />
East Boston Social Centers<br />
Education Development Center, Newton<br />
Gertrude Townsend Head Start, Dorchester<br />
Home for Little Wanderers, Brighton<br />
Horizons for Homeless Children,<br />
Dorchester<br />
Horizons for Homeless Children,<br />
Jamaica Plain<br />
Horizons for Homeless Children, Roxbury<br />
Jamaica Plain Head Start<br />
Julie’s Family Learning Program, South<br />
Boston<br />
Marlborough Early Childhood Center<br />
MOC, Inc. Child Care and Head Start<br />
Services, Leominster<br />
Roxbury Weston <strong>Programs</strong>, Weston<br />
Soule Childhood Center, Brookline<br />
Tartt’s Day Care, Roxbury<br />
Village Preschool, Roslindale<br />
World of Wonder Preschool, Woburn<br />
aFter School ProGramS<br />
BELL Boston – Lewenberg, Mattapan<br />
BELL Boston – Summer, Mattahunt<br />
BELL Boston – Summer, Roxbury<br />
Squashbusters, Roxbury<br />
hoSPitalS/community<br />
health centerS<br />
Children’s Hospital’s Young Parents<br />
Program, Boston<br />
Haitian American Public Health Initiative<br />
(HAPHI)<br />
miScellaneouS<br />
MCI-Framingham<br />
St. John’s Evangelist Church, Wellesley<br />
Seventh Day Temple Salem, Brockton<br />
Sion Seventh Day Advent Church,<br />
Somerville<br />
South Middlesex Correctional Center<br />
(SMCC), Framingham<br />
Suffolk County House of Correction<br />
Wellesley Congregational Church<br />
Parent and community<br />
orGanizationS<br />
Archdale Community Center,<br />
Roslindale (BCYF)<br />
Assabet Valley Area Family Network,<br />
Marlborough<br />
Blackstone Community Center,<br />
South End (BCYF)<br />
Boston’s HOPE: Home for Little<br />
Wanderers, Low Dorchester Income /<br />
Brookwood<br />
Homeless<br />
Parents’ Association,<br />
Parents<br />
Manchester Parents Who Pay<br />
For Our Services<br />
Community Organizations<br />
Schools and Education Centers<br />
Early Care and Preschool<br />
Transitional Housing Environments<br />
Afterschool <strong>Programs</strong><br />
Religious Institutions<br />
Prison / Pre-Release <strong>Programs</strong><br />
Hospital / Community Health Centers<br />
Cambridge Senior Center<br />
Charlestown Community Center (BCYF)<br />
Child Care Choices of Boston<br />
Children’s Services of Roxbury<br />
DARE Family Services, Braintree<br />
DARE Family Services, Somerville<br />
DARE Family Services, Worcester<br />
Dorchester CARES<br />
Evergreen Community Services, Malden<br />
Family Service Inc., Lawrence<br />
Gallivan Community Center,<br />
Mattapan (BCYF)<br />
Girl Scouts Beyond Bars, Boston<br />
Hattie B. Cooper Community Center,<br />
Roxbury<br />
Hennigan Community Center, Jamaica<br />
Plain (BCYF)<br />
Home Health and Child Care Services,<br />
Brockton<br />
Johnson Community Center, Roxbury<br />
(BCYF)<br />
Jumpstart, Boston<br />
Latino Health Insurance Program,<br />
East Boston<br />
Maverick Works, East Boston<br />
Mission Safe, Charlestown<br />
Mission Works, Roxbury<br />
MSPCC, Worcester<br />
Where do <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong>’s Workshops Take Place?<br />
In <strong>2008</strong>, <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> partnered with 139 organizations in<br />
50 Massachusetts Communities
Norwood Community Partnerships<br />
for Children<br />
Ohrenberger Community Center,<br />
West Roxbury (BCYF)<br />
Orchard Gardens Community Center,<br />
Roxbury (BCYF)<br />
Parent Partnership, Newburyport<br />
Parent to Parent, Winchester<br />
Paris Street Community Center,<br />
East Boston (BCYF)<br />
Perkins Community Center,<br />
Dorchester (BCYF)<br />
Project Place, Boston<br />
Shrewsbury Community Partnerships<br />
for Children<br />
Sociedad Latina, Roxbury<br />
Thomas Johnson Community Center,<br />
Roxbury (BCYF)<br />
Quincy Community Action <strong>Programs</strong><br />
Wellesley Mother’s Forum<br />
YWCA of Lowell<br />
SchoolS / education centerS<br />
Baldwin School, Cambridge<br />
BPS: Adult Learning Center/Family<br />
Literacy Program<br />
BPS: Office for Family and Community<br />
Engagement<br />
BPS: Parent Outreach Networks<br />
Brighton High School<br />
Brockton High School<br />
Brockton Public Schools (Parents<br />
Academy)<br />
Cambridge Public Schools: Title I Office<br />
Carroll School, Fall River<br />
Conservatory Lab Charter School,<br />
Brighton<br />
Day Middle School, Newton<br />
Doran School, Fall River<br />
East Boston High School<br />
Educational Development Group:<br />
ESL Program, Boston<br />
Fall River School District<br />
Fletcher-Maynard Academy<br />
Greene School, Fall River<br />
Immaculate Conception,<br />
Newburyport<br />
James Otis School, East Boston<br />
Kennedy Longfellow School, Cambridge<br />
Kennedy Middle School, Natick<br />
Lesley Ellis School, Arlington<br />
Lincoln METCO Program,<br />
Dorchester<br />
MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington<br />
Mother Caroline Academy, Dorchester<br />
Northeastern University Youth<br />
Development Initiative, Roxbury<br />
Peabody School, Cambridge<br />
School Linked Services, Lunenburg<br />
Shawsheen Valley Technical High School,<br />
Billerica<br />
Talbot School, Fall River<br />
Veterans Middle School, Marblehead<br />
Village School, Marblehead<br />
Warren Prescott School, Charlestown<br />
Wheelock College – Center for<br />
International Education, Boston<br />
Wilson Middle School, Natick<br />
tranSitional houSinG SiteS<br />
Bethany Hill, Framingham (Residential)<br />
Boston Family Shelter, Roxbury<br />
Bridge Over Troubled Water, Brighton<br />
Cross Street Family Shelter, Somerville<br />
Family Resource Center, Attleboro<br />
Granada House, Allston<br />
HarbOUR HOUSE, New Bedford<br />
Horizons Housing, Mattapan<br />
Housing <strong>Families</strong>, Malden<br />
Lena Park, Dorchester<br />
Mary Martha Learning Center, Hingham<br />
Medford Family Life<br />
My Father’s House, North Chelmsford<br />
Our Father’s House, Devens<br />
Renewal House, Roxbury<br />
Sandra’s Lodge/Hestia’s House, Waltham<br />
Second Step, Newton<br />
St. Ambrose Inn, Dorchester<br />
St. Mary’s Women and Children’s Center,<br />
Dorchester<br />
Transition House, Cambridge<br />
Transition House Emergency Shelter,<br />
Cambridge<br />
United South End Settlements, Boston<br />
Visitation House, Worcester<br />
YWCA Family Shelter, Cambridge<br />
conFerenceS<br />
A View From All Sides CTF-Marlborough<br />
Citywide Girls Summit – BCYF, Boston<br />
Early Childhood Institute,<br />
Lesley University, Cambridge<br />
Massachusetts Child Care Resource and<br />
Referral Network, Shrewsbury<br />
MSPCC Kid’s Net and MAFF<br />
Conference, Marlborough<br />
NASW, Massachusetts Chapter, Boston<br />
PACE Child Care Works, Taunton<br />
Young Children Without Homes<br />
Conference, Horizons for<br />
Homeless Children, Boston<br />
Youth Symposium – Boston Centers<br />
for Youth and <strong>Families</strong>, Boston<br />
StrateGic PartnerS<br />
Agenda for Children, Cambridge<br />
Boston Centers for Youth and <strong>Families</strong><br />
(BCYF)<br />
Cambridge Public Schools<br />
East Boston Collaborative (EBC)<br />
We want parents to know they’re not<br />
alone. as a <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> parenting educator<br />
for more than 15 years, I knew<br />
we needed to help parents to find their<br />
own voice. ‘When You’re tired of Yelling’,<br />
‘love and limits’, ‘From Mild to Wild’ –<br />
workshops like these encourage parents<br />
to share their tears and their triumphs,<br />
their meltdowns and their milestones,<br />
and it makes all the difference!<br />
la verne saunders,<br />
families first parenting educator
8<br />
Citizens Bank is committed to<br />
supporting the communities where<br />
its customers and colleagues live and<br />
work. Its Champions in Action program<br />
has awarded $650,000 to 26 small<br />
nonprofits doing big things in the<br />
community, while its Gear for Grades<br />
program has sent more than 8,000 lowincome<br />
children back to school with the<br />
supplies they need to succeed. Through<br />
its charitable giving and colleagues’<br />
volunteer efforts, Citizens is a caring<br />
corporate neighbor.<br />
What began as an initial corporate<br />
sponsorship for one of our annual<br />
fundraising events back in 1999 has<br />
blossomed into a deep partnership<br />
between the Citizens Bank Foundation<br />
and <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> <strong>Parenting</strong> <strong>Programs</strong>.<br />
For nearly 10 years, Citizens has<br />
supported the work of <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> in<br />
so many ways and on so many levels.<br />
Through a combination of program<br />
grants, event sponsorships, and outreach<br />
to other corporations on our behalf,<br />
Citizens has raised more than $70,000<br />
in funding to support the work of<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong>. Their support has<br />
enabled <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> to reach an<br />
increasing number of families each<br />
year and to develop our capacity as an<br />
organization. But its support extends far<br />
beyond the generous funding they have<br />
contributed or solicited on our behalf.<br />
In 2007, we were privileged to<br />
welcome Blake Jordan, former Senior<br />
Vice President of Corporate Giving<br />
at Citizens, as a co-chair for our 6th<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Fathers’ Breakfast. We were<br />
delighted when Blake agreed to return<br />
for a second year in a row to chair<br />
the 7th <strong>Annual</strong> Fathers’ Breakfast<br />
on October 16, <strong>2008</strong>. Both years,<br />
Blake joined forces with <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />
Board Members Michael Buckley<br />
and Andy Majewski, as well as our<br />
Fathers’ Breakfast Committee, and<br />
helped lead us through our two most<br />
successful Fathers’ Breakfasts in the<br />
history of <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong>. As the lead<br />
sponsor for the Fathers’ Breakfasts in<br />
2007 and <strong>2008</strong>, Citizens provided<br />
significant funding, brought together<br />
individuals from the community, and<br />
raised awareness about the work of<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong>. Our most recent Fathers’<br />
Breakfast brought together 250 guests,<br />
most of whom were fathers, and raised<br />
more than $100,000 for our parenting<br />
education programs.<br />
Perhaps one of the most unforgettable<br />
and fun contributions <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> has<br />
ever received was the donation of green<br />
“Citizens” soccer balls for each guest at<br />
the past two Fathers’ Breakfasts. They<br />
were a huge hit both years and elicited<br />
so much excitement from our guests.<br />
In addition to our relationship with<br />
Blake, we have also had the pleasure of<br />
working closely with Andy Phillips and<br />
the entire Citizens Bank Foundation<br />
team who have also served as advocates<br />
for <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong>.<br />
We are incredibly grateful for our<br />
relationship with and support from<br />
the Citizens Bank Foundation. On<br />
behalf of the more than 4,500 parents<br />
and professionals we reach each year,<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> wishes to extend our<br />
sincere appreciation to Citizens for its<br />
deep commitment to strengthening<br />
families and for being a wonderful<br />
partner along the way.
A. Neil Pappalardo<br />
Chairman & CEO<br />
Medical Information Technology, Inc.,<br />
or MEDITECH, as the company is<br />
commonly known, has been a leading<br />
software vendor in the health care<br />
informatics industry for 39 years<br />
and a staunch supporter of <strong>Families</strong><br />
<strong>First</strong> for the past nine years. Founded<br />
in Cambridge in 1969 by A. Neil<br />
Pappalardo, the company moved<br />
to Westwood in 1983 and has since<br />
expanded to include facilities in Canton,<br />
Norwood, Framingham, and Fall River.<br />
MEDITECH’s global customers include<br />
hospitals, ambulatory care centers,<br />
physicians’ offices, long-term care and<br />
behavioral health facilities, and home<br />
health organizations.<br />
The relationship between MEDITECH<br />
and <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> began in 2000<br />
when we were awarded our first grant<br />
of $5,000. Since then, the company<br />
has contributed more than $70,000<br />
to <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> and has been crucial<br />
to the development of our parenting<br />
education programs.<br />
Funding from MEDITECH has<br />
been used to support our programs<br />
for low-income families at a variety<br />
of sites in the Greater Boston area.<br />
Lawrence A. Polimeno<br />
Vice Chairman<br />
Howard Messing<br />
President & COO<br />
Morton Ruderman<br />
Board Member<br />
MEDITECH’s recent grant funded a<br />
series of workshops at the St. Ambrose<br />
Family Inn. Located in Dorchester,<br />
the St. Ambrose Family Inn provides<br />
shelter, support, and hope for families<br />
in transition. In addition to meeting<br />
families’ basic needs of food, clothing,<br />
and shelter, St. Ambrose helps to ensure<br />
that families are prepared for successful<br />
and independent living through formal<br />
education and practical skills training.<br />
Resident children attend Boston Public<br />
Schools, while their parents receive<br />
referrals to local GED-preparation<br />
courses and receive life skills training in<br />
practical areas such as parenting, family<br />
planning, and budgeting. MEDITECH<br />
has also funded programs at BELL<br />
Boston, Roxbury-Weston <strong>Programs</strong>,<br />
Quincy Community Action, DARE<br />
Family Services, and the Northeastern<br />
University Youth Development<br />
Initiative.<br />
Every two years, <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> meets<br />
with Chairman and CEO A. Neil<br />
Pappalardo, Lawrence A. Polimeno<br />
(Vice Chairman), Howard Messing<br />
(President and COO), and Morton<br />
Ruderman (Board Member). Our<br />
meetings are always lively, friendly, and<br />
full of warmth and good questions.<br />
These men truly believe in <strong>Families</strong><br />
<strong>First</strong>’s mission and go out of their way to<br />
meet with us to understand and support<br />
the work we do.<br />
We are incredibly grateful for the<br />
tremendous support we have received<br />
over the years from MEDITECH. We<br />
know the impact of their support will<br />
continue for years to come and that<br />
many children will develop into healthy,<br />
productive, and caring members of our<br />
society because of this partnership. On<br />
behalf of the nearly 4,500 families we<br />
serve each year, <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> wishes<br />
to extend our deepest appreciation to<br />
MEDITECH and looks forward to<br />
continuing our work together.<br />
9
10<br />
Selected Financial Information<br />
year endinG June 30, <strong>2008</strong><br />
Statement of Activities<br />
Operating Revenues:<br />
Sources of Revenue (FY <strong>2008</strong>)<br />
Program<br />
Income<br />
Fathers’<br />
Breakfast<br />
<strong>Annual</strong><br />
Fund<br />
Gala<br />
Dividends<br />
& Interest<br />
Unrestricted<br />
Foundation<br />
Grants<br />
Temporarily<br />
Restricted<br />
Foundation Grants – $434,250<br />
Gala – $332,291<br />
Permanently<br />
Restricted Total<br />
Foundation grants $ 71,000 $363,250 $ 434,250<br />
Individual contributions 366,544 366,544<br />
Corporate contributions 172,340 172,340<br />
Program revenue 80,618 80,618<br />
Interest and dividends 47,608 47,608<br />
Investment income appropriated for operations 12,392 12,392<br />
Net assets released from restrictions 448,107 (448,107)<br />
Total Operating Revenues $1,198,609 $(84,857) $1,113,752<br />
Operating Expenses:<br />
<strong>Programs</strong> $ 665,487 $ 665,487<br />
General and administrative 63,879 63,879<br />
Development 377,509 377,509<br />
Total Operating Expenses $1,106,875 $1,106,875<br />
Changes in Net Assets from Operations 91,734 (84,857) 6,877<br />
Changes in Total Net Assets<br />
Net Assets, Beginning of Year $ 933,291 $183,017 $ 565,250 $1,681,558<br />
Net Assets, End of Year $ 865,987 $ 98,160 $ 565,250 $1,529,397<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Fund – $111,695<br />
Fathers’ Breakfast – $94,898<br />
Program Income – $80,618<br />
Dividends & Interest – $47,608<br />
This page represents selected financial data from the FY08 (year ending June 30, <strong>2008</strong>) audit.<br />
Complete copies of the audited financial statements are available upon request.
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> <strong>2008</strong> Family of Supporters<br />
individual, corPorate & Foundation SuPPorterS, July 1, 2007 throuGh June 30, <strong>2008</strong><br />
We are deeply grateful for the generosity of all of our donors<br />
$75,000 +<br />
BNY Mellon Charitable Giving<br />
Program/Alice P. Chase Trust<br />
The Charles Engelhard Foundation<br />
$25,000 -$74,999<br />
Andrew and Melora Balson<br />
Family Fund<br />
Davis Marcus Partners<br />
Jane’s Trust<br />
John Hancock Financial Services<br />
Anne and Paul Marcus Family<br />
Foundation<br />
P&G Gillette<br />
Sheehan Family Foundation<br />
$10,000-$24,999<br />
The 484 Phi Alpha Foundation<br />
Bain Capital Children’s Charity Ltd.<br />
Hunter and Pamela Boll<br />
Citizens Bank<br />
Clipper Ship Foundation<br />
Dedham Temporary Home for<br />
Women and Children<br />
Gayle and Buddy Dublin<br />
Foundation M<br />
The Janey Fund<br />
Meryl Kessler and Scott Oran<br />
Medical Information Technology, Inc.<br />
New Balance Foundation<br />
Leslie and Ken Pucker<br />
Rowland Foundation<br />
Anna B. Stearns Charitable<br />
Foundation<br />
Tides Foundation<br />
The Wade Family Foundation<br />
$5,000-$9,999<br />
Analog Devices<br />
Bank of America Foundation<br />
Anonymous<br />
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts<br />
Cahn Funds for Social Change<br />
CB Richard Ellis<br />
Citi Foundation<br />
Lisa and David Craig<br />
Anne Geraghty<br />
JPMorgan Chase Foundation<br />
John and Chrissie Lawrence<br />
Lovett-Woodsum Foundation, Inc.<br />
Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott<br />
Foundation, Inc.<br />
The Phyllis W. McGillicuddy<br />
Charitable Trust<br />
Mark and Wendi McKenna<br />
New Boston Real Estate Fund<br />
Megan and Robert O’Block<br />
Thomas Anthony Pappas<br />
Charitable Foundation, Inc.<br />
Kevin and Jennifer Queally<br />
Roy A. Hunt Foundation<br />
Sanders Fund, Inc.<br />
Abbot & Dorothy H. Stevens<br />
Foundation<br />
Svrluga Foundation<br />
The TJX Companies, Inc.<br />
The Trust Family Foundation<br />
Frederick E. Weber Charities<br />
Corporation<br />
The Marianne J. H. Witherby<br />
Foundation<br />
$2,500-$4,999<br />
Arbella Charitable Foundation, Inc.<br />
The Baupost Group, L.L.C.<br />
Michael and Karen Buckley<br />
Cambridge Community Foundation<br />
Donna and James Carris<br />
CBT Architects<br />
Community Health Charities<br />
of MA, NH & VT<br />
Tom and Midge DeSimone<br />
Federal Street Advisors<br />
Domenic and Molly Ferrante<br />
Karen Fisher and Frank Thompson<br />
Forest City Enterprises<br />
Chris Gaffney and Karen Kames<br />
Gale International, LLC<br />
Gannett Welsh & Kotler, LLC<br />
Goulston & Storrs Philanthropic<br />
Advisors<br />
Michael and Eileen Hicks<br />
Carey and Jonathan Hoch<br />
parenting is critical work. and without<br />
committed donors, even the most<br />
stellar of organizations has limited<br />
reach. Foundations, corporations, and<br />
individuals have funded <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />
programs that helped reach nearly 4,500<br />
parents last year alone… and tens of<br />
thousands of parents over the past 20<br />
years. as a corporate funder myself, I<br />
believe investing in good parenting is<br />
the ultimate investment in the future.<br />
Joannie Jaxtimer, BnY mellon<br />
11
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> <strong>2008</strong> Family of Supporters (continued)<br />
$2,500-$4,999 (continued)<br />
John and Valerie Howard<br />
Ann and Ed Kania<br />
Jeff Karp<br />
The Agnes M. Lindsay Trust<br />
Phil and Ellie Loughlin<br />
Andrew and Lisa Majewski<br />
Pat and Erin Murphy<br />
Patrick Murray Inaugural Committee<br />
Charitable Giving Program<br />
The William and Lia G. Poorvu<br />
Family Foundation<br />
Resnick Sullivan Foundation<br />
Suzanne Rothschild and<br />
John Baynard<br />
Dan Villemarie<br />
$1,500-$2,499<br />
ADD INC<br />
Biogen Idec Foundation<br />
Miceal and Shelby Chamberlain<br />
Nassib Chamoun and Maureen<br />
Kelly-Chamoun<br />
¿Como se puede enseñar buenos<br />
metodos de crianza si no conoce<br />
el idioma? How can you teach good<br />
parenting if you can’t understand the<br />
language? We now have Spanish &<br />
Haitian-Creole speaking leaders, like<br />
me, leading workshops, because no<br />
matter how you translate it, good<br />
parenting is crucial.<br />
marta rivera, families first<br />
12parenting<br />
educator<br />
The Charles Stark Draper<br />
Laboratory, Inc.<br />
Michael Elefante and<br />
Louise Sawyer<br />
Anna Golja<br />
Crista Martinez Padua and<br />
Horacio Padua, Jr.<br />
J. Michael Maynard and<br />
Ilene Greenberg<br />
Pyramid Hotel Group<br />
Virginia Rothschild<br />
Eric Schlager<br />
Jason and Jennifer Shore<br />
The Stride Rite Foundation<br />
$1,000-$1,499<br />
The Lassor and Fanny Agoos<br />
Charity Fund<br />
Caleb Aldrich<br />
Barbara and Stephen Anthony<br />
Brian Arcese<br />
James Baldwin and Dana<br />
Zadorozny<br />
The Bay State Federal Savings<br />
Charitable Foundation<br />
BJ’s Wholesale Club<br />
Jeffrey and Suzanne Bloomberg<br />
Boston Private Bank & Trust Company<br />
Alexandra and Colin Campbell<br />
Colony Realty Partners, LLC<br />
Stephanie F. Connaughton<br />
Karen and Brian Conway<br />
Crossroads Community Foundation<br />
Cushman & Wakefield<br />
Jonathan and Margot Davis<br />
Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation<br />
Jennifer Eckert<br />
Jim and Emma Egan<br />
Lisa and Stephen Fiore<br />
Paul Gannon<br />
Florence Koplow<br />
Thomas and Penelope Lawrence<br />
Robert A. Lincoln<br />
Peter and Alene Lofink<br />
Beth and Carmine Martignetti<br />
William P. McQuillan<br />
Verná Myers<br />
Elisabeth and Thomas Niedermeyer<br />
Brien and Susan O’Connor<br />
Anne L. Peretz<br />
Shirin Philipp and John Higgins<br />
Mark and Etta Rosen<br />
Lauren and Mark Rubin<br />
James and Carol Savage<br />
Simon Family Philanthropic<br />
Foundation, Inc.<br />
W/S Development Associates LLC<br />
Wainwright Bank<br />
Jim Whalen and Diane Conley<br />
Frederic E. Wittmann and Christine<br />
Kondoleon<br />
The Wolk Family and The Cross<br />
Country Group<br />
Claudia and Charles Wu<br />
Jeff and Mary Zients<br />
$500-$999<br />
Janet Atkins and Tarleton Watkins II<br />
Jeffrey and Maryann Bass<br />
Peter and Patricia Bishop<br />
Gregory and Sandra Andrea Boyle<br />
Linda and Peter Braun<br />
Ellen and James Burns<br />
Carie Capossela and Robert Adler<br />
Edgar Casado and Jeanne Chow<br />
Stephen Clarke<br />
Clausen Financial Group<br />
Patricia Connolly and Martin Foster<br />
Alan and Leslie Crane<br />
Deutsche Bank<br />
Education Development Center, Inc.<br />
Martin and Susana Fantozzi<br />
Foley Hoag, LLP<br />
Betsy Gerlach and Harold Dennis<br />
Michael and Susan Goldman<br />
Marion and Eric Golin<br />
Andy Hoar<br />
Rendall and Nancy Howell<br />
Linda and Gerald Jones<br />
Emily and Leo Kahn<br />
Curtis Kemeny
Alan and Pat Kessler<br />
Kip Kimble<br />
Kurt and Kathleen Kusiak<br />
Lisa Leffert and Lee Schwamm<br />
Luther and Carol Luedtke<br />
Patricia MacDonald and Melanie Howe<br />
Bob and Linda MacIntosh<br />
Joanne MacKinnon and Neil Drucker<br />
Michael and Judith Manzo<br />
Mark J. McHugh<br />
Kim Molino<br />
National Development<br />
Richards Barry Joyce and Partners<br />
Leonard and Laurie Slap<br />
Timothy and Eileen Smith<br />
Nancy J. and J. Kirk Smith<br />
Phyllis and Adam Sonnenschein<br />
Michael G. Thompson and Theresa<br />
McNally<br />
Joan I. Thorndike<br />
The Touchstones Fund<br />
George Tremblay<br />
Robert and Naomi Tuchmann<br />
Meghan and Kent Weldon<br />
Gwen Werner and Charles Nelson<br />
Wheelock College<br />
Mark and Kym Williams<br />
Jeffrey and Marla Wolk<br />
Robin Wolk and David Klein<br />
Michael Woodall<br />
Nancy Zimmerman and Andrei Shleifer<br />
$250-$499<br />
Ajay and Kate Agarwal<br />
Timothy Andreae<br />
Patricia and Wallace Arcese<br />
Darren M. Baird<br />
Shawn and Beth Baker<br />
Peter and Mary Grace Barber<br />
Dan and Heather Beliveau<br />
Jeffrey A. Bernfeld and<br />
Mary-Kathleen O’Connell<br />
Eric and Allyson Biegeleisen<br />
Benjamin and Amy Bloomstone<br />
Warren and Nancy Brown<br />
Ruth Budd and John Ehrenfeld<br />
Karen and Ralph Buglass<br />
Catherine and Paul Buttenwieser<br />
Foundation<br />
Campanelli Companies<br />
James F. Carlin<br />
Charles Christopher, Jr.<br />
The City of Boston<br />
Steve and Janet Clay<br />
Bob Clifford<br />
Kim Comart<br />
Louie Crosier<br />
Cheryl and Brian Cuddy<br />
Larry DiCara Fund at the Boston<br />
Foundation<br />
Robert and Deborah Dickey<br />
Brent Elkins<br />
Peter and Teresa Ferrelli<br />
Gregg and Kristen Fitzgerald<br />
Chantal and Tim Healey<br />
Tina and Bill Helm<br />
David Hooke<br />
Horizons for Homeless Children<br />
Ogden and Nina Hunnewell<br />
Kip H. Hyde<br />
Charley Kersten<br />
James P. Knowles<br />
Paul and Amy Kraft<br />
Patricia Lin<br />
Michael Lindgren<br />
Hillary Liss<br />
Janina Longtine<br />
Ian and Isabelle Loring<br />
Kevin Lynch<br />
Robert and Shawna Mashal<br />
The MathWorks, Inc.<br />
Edward and Marilyn Micco<br />
John Miller<br />
Brooke Muggia<br />
Daniel G. and Karen E. Nocera<br />
Jen and Tom Peterson<br />
Amos Pike<br />
Real Networks Matching Gifts<br />
For homeless families… trying to raise<br />
their kids in the middle of a shelter<br />
with no job, no money, and little<br />
hope… being a good guardian when<br />
times are bad is one of the few things<br />
a homeless parent can control. <strong>Families</strong><br />
<strong>First</strong> teaches people how to be a good<br />
parent, even on days when it seems<br />
things can’t get any worse.<br />
shelter spokesperson<br />
Mike Ripp<br />
Lisa A. Robinson and Robert S. Hansel<br />
Ann Ross<br />
Vladimir Rozanovich<br />
Darlene Sheehan and Steve Cohen<br />
Peter Sheehan<br />
Eric Sheffels and Barbara Moths Sheffels<br />
Jill and Donald Shulman<br />
Ronald and Mary Skates<br />
April and Geoffrey Stein<br />
Fredericka and Howard Stevenson<br />
Marc Stiller<br />
Carl Sussman<br />
Lawrence and Mary Taylor<br />
Rose and David Thorne<br />
Gillian Todd and Kingsley Taft<br />
Elaine Tung and David Concoran<br />
Jameson Tweedie<br />
Cynthia L. Walker<br />
John and Geraldine Warren<br />
Barbara Weiler and Frank Litwin<br />
Doug and Judith Weinstock<br />
Jack Welch and Lisa Breen<br />
13
14<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> <strong>2008</strong> Family of Supporters (continued)<br />
Tom and Suzi Wilder<br />
Charles Willauer<br />
Elizabeth and Bruce Wilson<br />
Michael S. and Elizabeth A. Winkler<br />
M. Wistar Wood<br />
Frank Wuest<br />
Tom Wynn<br />
Andrew Youniss<br />
$100-$249<br />
Gerald and Carol Abrams<br />
Kenneth and Amelia Adams<br />
Simon Alejandrino<br />
Alpern-Kuhn Family Fund<br />
Jean Ash<br />
Betty and Arthur Bardige<br />
Julie Barton and Peter Emerson<br />
Dan Baxter<br />
Lisa Biagetti<br />
John Biotti and Leslie Jeng<br />
Mary and Mark Blake<br />
Rebecca Braun and John Caouette<br />
Brian & Company<br />
Robert and Marilyn Brooks<br />
Douglas Brown<br />
Hillary Brown and Michael Grill<br />
Bruce Brumberg<br />
Valerie and Steve Buller<br />
Gordon M. Burnes<br />
Linda Call and Matt Slatalla<br />
James and Karen Canfield<br />
Laurie Carvill<br />
Christopher Chadbourne<br />
Emily Chang<br />
Christopher Cheang<br />
Sean Coar<br />
Jeffrey and Martha Cokin<br />
David Conley<br />
Stephen Conlin and Anne Donahue<br />
Rachel and Kevin Conn<br />
Lisa and Chris Conti<br />
Wiliam J. Corkhill, Jr. and Sheila<br />
Campbell Corkhill<br />
Sue Covitz and Henry Grossman<br />
Elizabeth Coxe<br />
Edward Crossland<br />
Ariel and Joanne Cudkowicz<br />
Stephen and Kerry Curran<br />
David Currie<br />
Susan P. Davies and Richard W. Talkov<br />
Dana and Jeffrey Davis<br />
Michael Denomy<br />
Georgia Devine<br />
Alan and Dana Diamond<br />
Eaton Vance Management<br />
Edward Eitzer and Maryann Woolf-Eitzer<br />
George and Althea Elkins<br />
Joy Engblade<br />
Frances Faile<br />
Toby and Sandra Fairbank<br />
Georgia Farinholt<br />
David Felson and Elaine Landes<br />
Robert and Glenda Fishman<br />
Fleiss Family Fund in Honor of<br />
Solomon Mandell and John Klus<br />
Ian Fliflet<br />
Diane and Blaine Fogg<br />
John and Eileen Fox<br />
Beth Fredericks and Lee Joseph<br />
James and Sue Frontero<br />
Heather Gallagher<br />
Shelton Getter<br />
Mary Gibbs<br />
Gilford Contracting<br />
Stephanie Goff<br />
Stephen Goldfinger<br />
James Goldman and Carolyn Searles<br />
Timothy and Moira Goodman<br />
Amy and John Gordona<br />
John Graham<br />
Linda Grosser and Craig Jacobson<br />
David E. and Jill B. Grossman<br />
John Gruber<br />
Audrey Haas<br />
Handy Dandy Handyman Co<br />
Kurt E. Hanson<br />
Michelle and Robert Hanss<br />
Peter Hecht and Kristina Jones<br />
Brian Hickman<br />
Doug and Andrea Hoffer<br />
Bruce and Alice Houghton<br />
Chris Houtzer<br />
Thomas Jacobs<br />
Elizabeth Kenedy<br />
Tony Kingsley and Sarah Perry<br />
Connie Koskelowski<br />
Cathy Lazdowski<br />
Ursula Liang<br />
Andrew Lohmeier<br />
Thomas M. and Nancy L. Looney<br />
David Lurie<br />
Michael MacDonald<br />
Lynn Margherio<br />
Kathleen and Steven Marullo<br />
Sandra Marwill and James Jampel<br />
Stephen Mauri<br />
Colin and Anne McNay<br />
Mayor Thomas M. and Angela Menino<br />
Merck Partnership for Giving<br />
Dawn Micco<br />
Beth H. and Karl D. Mitchell<br />
Brooke Mitchell<br />
Joseph Nash and Nancy Marcus-Nash<br />
Maria and Kevin O’Connor<br />
Mike O’Connor<br />
Madeleine and Andrew Oldman<br />
Barbara and Oliver Oldman<br />
Jay Orlander and Anna Mitus<br />
Patricia Parker<br />
Kevin C. and Anne D. Phelan<br />
Deirdre Phillips<br />
Planters’ Choice, LLC<br />
David Porter<br />
Rodney Pratt<br />
Stephen M. Pratt<br />
Jonathan Pucker<br />
Tzedakah Fund - Bernard & Sue Pucker<br />
Putnam Investments Matching Gifts<br />
Program<br />
William Robb<br />
Kris Rodammer<br />
Sidney and Joann Rosoff
Susan and Daniel Rothenberg<br />
Lawrence and Denise Rothschild<br />
Marcie and Tom Ruddy<br />
Roger and Margaret Ruske<br />
Howard Samuels and Elizabeth<br />
McCarthy<br />
Jerry and Sharon Schindler<br />
Barbara and David Schneider<br />
Matt and Kathy Schott<br />
Chuck and Madeline Searle<br />
Robert Sege and Karen Victor<br />
Darleen and Scott Senete<br />
Nancy Shaich<br />
Michael and Mary Ellen Shea<br />
Shannon Siwinski<br />
Katie and Lukas Skoog<br />
Helen and Joe Soussou<br />
Arthur and Mary Spears<br />
Meredith Stewart<br />
Douglas Stinson<br />
Robert and Merily Swanson<br />
Jay Thornton<br />
Stephen Tucker and Peggy Garland<br />
Tyco Matching Gifts Program<br />
United Way of Hampshire County<br />
Mary Urban-Keary<br />
Eric and Faith VanDusen<br />
Verizon Foundation<br />
Steven C. Wagner<br />
Waters Corporation<br />
Anne and John Watt<br />
Scott N. Wilson and Anne E. Allan<br />
Dan Winston<br />
Laura Woodward<br />
Marguerite P. Yardley<br />
Jonathan and Jayme Yellin<br />
Mark Yung<br />
Harold Zeitz<br />
in-kind donationS and<br />
Pro Bono ServiceS<br />
Anonymous<br />
ARS Services, Inc.<br />
Atlantic Graphics<br />
Boston Children’s Museum<br />
The Boston Red Sox<br />
BNY Mellon<br />
Citizens Bank<br />
Fred Delorey, Loftwood Associates<br />
Nina and Mitch Dickerman<br />
Gayle and Buddy Dublin<br />
Todd Fairchild, Stout visual<br />
communication<br />
Family Album Gala Committee<br />
Fathers’ Breakfast Committee<br />
Tom and Sue Geraghty<br />
Michael and Susan Goldman<br />
John Hancock Financial Services<br />
Marketing Team<br />
Longwood Events, The State Room<br />
Milagros Lopez-Ramirez<br />
La Bonne Maison<br />
Anne and Paul Marcus Family<br />
Foundation<br />
MAX Ultimate Food<br />
Deborah Mutschler<br />
New Boston Fund, Inc.<br />
Tom and Liz Niedermeyer<br />
Megan and Robert O’Block<br />
Gigi and Michael Pucker<br />
Putnam Investments Communications<br />
Department<br />
Jennifer and Kevin Queally<br />
Trevor Shaw of Zulu Nyala<br />
Wheelock College<br />
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this report. If we have inadvertently<br />
made an error or omission, please notify Susannah Cintron at 617-868-7687 ext. 24<br />
and accept our sincere apology.<br />
Due to space constraints, we unfortunately cannot list all of our donors in our annual<br />
report. Our deepest gratitude goes out to all of our supporters who gave gifts of less than<br />
$100 over the past year.<br />
A gift in tribute is a particularly<br />
thoughtful way to celebrate a<br />
birthday, anniversary, or other<br />
joyous event, or to honor the<br />
memory of a relative or friend.<br />
We thank all who chose to<br />
support <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> in this way.<br />
Listed are people in whose honor<br />
gifts were received.<br />
Brian Arcese<br />
Melora Balson<br />
Linda Braun<br />
Bill Brewster<br />
Rita Channell<br />
James Edwards<br />
Betsy Gerlach<br />
Meryl Kessler<br />
Peter Lofink<br />
Anne Marcus<br />
Crista Martinez Padua<br />
Stephen Mauri<br />
Megan O’Block<br />
Oran / Kessler Family<br />
Susan and Paula Panchuck<br />
Lisa Stanton<br />
Larry Taylor<br />
15
16<br />
A Special Tribute to our<br />
Founder, Linda Braun<br />
At our 3rd <strong>Annual</strong> Family Album Gala in April <strong>2008</strong>, we<br />
were excited to announce a special dedication ceremony<br />
being planned to honor the founder and original Executive<br />
Director of <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong>, Linda Braun. In collaboration with<br />
our friends at Wheelock College, a tree will be planted<br />
in the new quad being designed at Wheelock College.<br />
Linda’s passion and vision, combined with the support of Wheelock College and the Boston Children’s Museum, resulted<br />
in the birth of <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> 20 years ago. The tree will be a symbol of growth, strength, and wisdom – all gifts that Linda<br />
has shared with us and so many others over the years. We hope you will be able to join us for this special celebration in<br />
spring 2009...more details to come!<br />
<strong>2008</strong> Nan B. Kay Volunteer<br />
of the Year Award Goes to...<br />
Suzanne Rothschild<br />
The Nan B. Kay Volunteer Award is presented annually in honor of Nan Kay, a volunteer<br />
who made extraordinary contributions to <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> through her energy, commitment, humor, good sense, generosity,<br />
and wise counsel. Each year, <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> staff, Board Members, and Friends Council members are asked to identify an<br />
extraordinary volunteer who has contributed to <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> throughout the year.<br />
We are pleased to announce that Suzanne Rothschild has been selected as our <strong>2008</strong> Volunteer of the Year! Suzanne is a<br />
former <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> Board Member and a current Friends Council Member. She has served on countless event committees<br />
and along with her husband, John Baynard, generously donated their time, creative expertise, and technical resources for<br />
the creation of our newest <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> video. In spring <strong>2008</strong>, Suzanne joined Board Members Melora Balson and Meryl<br />
Kessler to co-chair our 3rd <strong>Annual</strong> Family Album Gala and played a significant role in the creation and production of our<br />
20 Faces of <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> Presentation, which was one of the night’s most memorable moments. Suzanne is an extraordinary<br />
volunteer who has touched <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> in countless ways and has helped strengthen our organization for the past<br />
twenty years. Thank you, Suzanne!
7th annual Fathers’<br />
Breakfast<br />
our most successful yet!<br />
On October 16, <strong>2008</strong>, approximately 250 guests gathered at<br />
the Mandarin Oriental, Boston for the 7th <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Families</strong><br />
<strong>First</strong> Fathers’ Breakfast. Fathers from Massachusetts<br />
celebrated their role as a father and learned how <strong>Families</strong><br />
<strong>First</strong> strengthens families from all life circumstances. We<br />
are thrilled to report that the breakfast was a great success.<br />
Through the generosity of individuals and corporate<br />
sponsors, we raised more than $103,000 for our parenting<br />
education and professional training programs!<br />
Guest speaker Dan Doyle was a huge hit. Mr. Doyle, a<br />
father of six, is a renowned international speaker, coach,<br />
author, and Director of the Institute for International Sport.<br />
His latest book, entitled The Encyclopedia of Sports <strong>Parenting</strong><br />
and co-written with Deborah Doermann Burch, is a timely<br />
and comprehensive book with advice on issues that confront<br />
parents of athletes of all ages, including sportsmanship,<br />
ethics, and balancing life and sports. Dan used personal<br />
stories to illustrate the importance of ethics and the critical<br />
role parents play in teaching their children how to make<br />
ethical decisions. Dan kept the energy high! After an<br />
exciting game of Simon Says with everyone in the room, one<br />
lucky individual won tickets to a University of Rhode Island<br />
basketball game.<br />
Thanks to our co-chairs Michael Buckley, Blake Jordan, and<br />
Andy Majewski and our Fathers’ Breakfast Committee for<br />
all of their hard work! We are also grateful to the Mandarin<br />
Oriental, Boston for their generous support of this event.<br />
Save the date for next year’s Fathers’ Breakfast, which will<br />
take place in October 2009. We hope to see you there!<br />
Save the Date<br />
4th annual<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong><br />
Benefit Reception<br />
tuesday, march 31st, 2009<br />
please join us for a festive cocktail reception to celebrate<br />
and support <strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong>’s commitment to building positive<br />
relationships between parents and their children.<br />
Keynote speaker Jack agati will speak about Birth order<br />
and the many characteristics associated with various<br />
positions in the family.<br />
5:45 pm – registration<br />
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm – reception & program<br />
Boston College Club, downtown Boston<br />
Individual tickets $250.<br />
Sponsorships are also available.<br />
For more information, please contact<br />
Susannah Cintron at 617-868-7687 x24.
miSSion Statement<br />
<strong>Families</strong> <strong>First</strong> <strong>Parenting</strong><br />
<strong>Programs</strong> builds positive<br />
relationships between<br />
parents and their<br />
children by educating<br />
both families and the<br />
professionals who serve<br />
them through inspiring,<br />
hands-on workshops.<br />
Our skilled workshop<br />
leaders stand beside<br />
parents and caregivers<br />
to lead them through the<br />
crucible of child rearing<br />
by transforming their<br />
experiences, doubts, and<br />
fears into the knowledge<br />
and confidence they need<br />
to build positive discipline,<br />
communication, and selfesteem<br />
in families. Our<br />
training for professionals<br />
enhances their ability<br />
to better support and<br />
engage families. We help<br />
communities thrive by<br />
strengthening families first.<br />
99 Bishop Allen Drive<br />
Cambridge, MA 02139<br />
(617) 868-7687<br />
learn more at<br />
www.families-first.org<br />
Board oF<br />
directorS<br />
Melora Balson,<br />
Chair<br />
Crista Martinez Padua,<br />
President<br />
Leslie Zients-Pucker,<br />
Vice Chair<br />
Donna Carris,<br />
Treasurer<br />
Gwen Werner,<br />
Clerk<br />
Michael Buckley<br />
Julia DeVoy<br />
Gayle Dublin<br />
Lisa B. Fiore<br />
Chantal Healey<br />
Michael Hicks<br />
Carey Foran Hoch<br />
Charmain Jackman<br />
Meryl Kessler<br />
Steven Lipiner<br />
Andrew Majewski<br />
Anne Marcus<br />
Mark McKenna<br />
Shirin Philipp<br />
Kevin Queally, Jr.<br />
Eleonora Villegas-<br />
Reimers<br />
Margaret Wade<br />
Linda Braun,<br />
Honorary<br />
Susan O’Connor,<br />
Honorary<br />
StaFF<br />
Susannah Cintron,<br />
Development Associate<br />
Nicole Cleckley,<br />
Curriculum<br />
Coordinator<br />
Sue Covitz, Director of<br />
Strategic Partnerships<br />
Stacey Ellsworth,<br />
Office Administrator<br />
Michael Goldman,<br />
Director of Finance<br />
& Administration<br />
Charles Huschle,<br />
Development Officer<br />
Jessica Kirkpatrick,<br />
Program Coordinator<br />
Crista Martinez Padua,<br />
Executive Director<br />
Madeleine Otani<br />
Oldman, Program<br />
Associate<br />
Katie Skoog, Director<br />
of Development<br />
Randi Walsh, Director<br />
of Programming<br />
ParentinG<br />
educatorS<br />
Milly Arbaje-Thomas<br />
Pam Bailey<br />
Lisa Bibuld<br />
Shawne Blake<br />
Debra Broadley<br />
Marilyn Buckler<br />
Carol Darcy<br />
Nina Dickerman<br />
Briget Evans<br />
Marionette Fennell-<br />
Patterson<br />
Beth Fredericks<br />
Alejandra Hernandez<br />
Charmain Jackman<br />
Rosalyn Levy<br />
Malvina Libsch<br />
Milagros Lopez-Ramirez<br />
Lilly Marcelin<br />
Susan Marx<br />
Maribel Molina<br />
Gail Parsons<br />
Marta Rivera<br />
La Verne Saunders<br />
Haji Shearer<br />
Candelaria Silva-Collins<br />
Nicole St. Victor<br />
Pat Stabler<br />
Marcia Strauss<br />
Yvette Thomas<br />
Doug Weinstock<br />
FriendS council<br />
Linda Braun<br />
Robert Brooks<br />
Karen Buglass<br />
Michael Cavanaugh<br />
James Chung<br />
Kim Comart<br />
Lisa Craig<br />
Kelly Cutler<br />
Gail DeRiggi<br />
Michael Elefante<br />
Elizabeth Gerlach<br />
Ned Hallowell<br />
Mikkie Harvey<br />
Daisy Helman<br />
Thomas Jacobs<br />
Joannie Jaxtimer<br />
Jackie Jenkins-Scott<br />
Linda Jones<br />
John Lawrence<br />
Frances Litman<br />
Verná Myers<br />
Liz Niedermeyer<br />
Mark O’Connell<br />
Deirdre Phillips<br />
Douglas Reynolds<br />
Ann Romney<br />
Marta T. Rosa<br />
Suzanne Rothschild<br />
Howard Samuels<br />
Candelaria Silva-Collins<br />
Phyllis Sonnenschein<br />
Jonathan Spack<br />
Michael Thompson<br />
Naomi Tuchmann<br />
Jim Wade<br />
Patricia Winton