Volunteer Opportunities for Western Connecticut

In partnership with United Way of Western Connecticut

Families Network of Western CT, Inc. is an organization dedicated to ensuring that all families, especially those facing the greatest challenges, receive the support they may need in order to get their children off to a safe, healthy and happy start. We do this by establishing healthy family relationships, improving child development and health outcomes, reducing the risk of abuse and neglect and preparing children for healthy, responsible productive lives.

Description:
Families Network of Western CT, Inc. is a collection of grant funded programs focusing on pregnancy and maternal/child health issues. These programs have been linked together to share resources and provide a comprehensive continuum of services.

We offer a variety of education, support and home visitation services to families to establish healthy family relationships, improve child development and health outcomes, and reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect.

Specific service components:
Home visitation program providing parent education and support to first time parents aimed at reducing the risk of child abuse or maltreatment and fosters positive, healthy child-rearing practices. Home visits focus on parenting skills, child development, child health and other aspects of family functioning and can last up to 5 years.

Nurturing Connections is a telephone support program in which trained volunteers make weekly phone calls to first-time parents.

The Fatherhood Initiative offers an all-male group focusing on the importance of the nurturing male role model specifically designed for fathers, grandfathers and other male caretakers.

The Infant Injury Prevention and Health Promotion Project is designed to promote awareness.

Targeted Case Management for the Healthy Start state health insurance program for pregnant women and their children (infants-3yrs.) The program conducts thorough psychosocial assessments and develops a care plan specific to the needs of each participant; linkage to the state health insurance program and referral to other health related human service/support programs, follow-up, advocacy, health education and support.
All services are offered on a voluntary basis and are free of charge.

History:
Families Network of Western CT, Inc. (FNWC) was incorporated in September 2003 to continue the Healthy Families Network of grant-funded programs.

The purposes for which it was formed, as stated in its charter, include:

(a) to provide a comprehensive array of services to families including but not limited to community education, early identification of overburdened families, parenting education, supportive services for new families, child development screenings, home visitation and access to appropriate community resources in order to enable healthy family relationships, improve child development and health, reduce the risk of abuse and neglect and prepare children for healthy, responsible, productive lives and
(b) to collaborate with community organizations located in greater Danbury, CT, to provide family support programs in order to best utilize scarce community resources.

Contact person: Sue Giglio, Executive Director, (203) 791-8773, (email)
Office fax number: (203) 791-1379

Address:

5 Library Place Danbury, CT 06810 (See a map)