People are excited about what Strong Couples-Strong Children has to offer! Are you inspired by this program and looking for a way to volunteer your time and resources?
Many of the couples we work with face challenges and barriers in their lives. In the time that we work with our clients we strive to provide them with the best and most comprehensives services we can provide.
Often times we are faced with challenges and requests for further services from clients. In an effort to provide these services we are seeking partnership with community members and organizations, and resources to assist us in meeting these needs.
Below is our wish list. This provides some of the concrete ways to volunteer with the Strong Couples - Strong Children program. If you are interested in assisting in any of these ways please contact Erline Harvin, Program Manager at 919-560-7624.
NEED
SUPPORT
Transportation – This involves picking clients up at home, taking them to the session and returning two (2) hours later to bring them home.
Although our program provides assistance with transportation we have limited funding for cab fares (which are extremely high). We do have additional assistance through gas cards and bus passes for our participants. Sometimes our participants do not attend the sessions because of the weather and they do not want to stand in the cold or rain because of pregnancy or having small children.
Food - Sponsor a meal or entire group sessions
We provide a meal at every session for our participants and their children. Groups could cook or bring a meal, sponsor the cost of a meal and/or sponsor the meals for the entire 12 weeks. Our group usually consists of 6-7 couples. Including their children our average feeding total is 20 people per session.
Formula – Provide for the babies
Many of our participants receive WIC and/or Food Stamp benefits but they often do not have enough formula for the entire month. We receive monthly requests for assistance with formula.
Diapers - (size 1 or 2)
Although some of our participants receive some financial assistance they often times do not have enough diapers to last the entire month. We receive monthly requests for assistance with diapers.
Adopt-a-couple
All of our couples are unmarried couples with a baby or getting ready to have a baby. Once they finish our program we would like to refer or pass them on to a mentoring program or group to continue to enhance the relationship skills they learned. Mentoring could be monthly telephone contact, meetings, etc.
* We are not asking for individual financial sponsorship.
Assistance with cleaning
Groups could assist the pregnant woman/mother with household cleaning when the mother has been placed or bed rest or in the last trimester, or first few weeks after the birth.
Financial mentoring or
Budget assistance
Assisting couple with maintaining a household budget. Budgeting is one of the sessions discussed in the curriculum but follow-up practice would be great
Assistance recruiting participants
Announcement about program in weekly program/ meeting/ congregations/ or newsletter
Interview Attire
Our clients are sometimes in the need of appropriate clothes to wear to an interview or when going out to complete an application
....................
If you have other ideas about ways you would like to donate your time, talents or resources please contact Erline Harvin at 919-560-7624.
