CONTACT:
Valerie Woodruff
302-658-5177 ext. 249
Jennifer Gallo
302-479-1691
For immediate release – February 6, 2008
Children & Families First Announces Merger with The Family & Workplace Connection
On February 1, 2008, The Family & Workplace Connection became part of Children & Families First. The newly merged not-for-profit will offer clients a broader continuum of services with opportunities for future growth statewide by building on a shared vision and shared areas of expertise.
The mission of the merged organization is to strengthen families and help them manage their work and personal life responsibilities by providing social, educational and mental health services and by enhancing the supply and quality of care and education for children and elders.
A celebration event with staff from each agency was held at The Sheraton Dover Hotel on Monday, February 4, prior to its Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors.
“This is another exciting chapter in the history of Children & Families First, says Executive Director Leslie Newman. “With our new organization, there is more room, creativity and energy to address the important issues facing our community, be they decreasing infant mortality and teen pregnancy, improving the quality of childcare, or assuring that youth aging out of foster care have the supports they need.”
Additionally, Children & Families First is pleased to announce the addition of new officers to its Board of Directors. Newly elected officers include: John W. Land, President; Ellen K. Levin, Vice President; Tsion M. Messick, Vice President; Heather A. O’Connell, Secretary; Douglas M. Stephenson, Treasurer; and Sandra H. Autman, Assistant Treasurer.
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Children & Families First, a private non-profit agency, strengthens families and helps them manage their work and personal life responsibilities by providing social, educational and mental health services and by enhancing the supply and quality of care and education for children and elders. Services include parent education, child and elder care resource and referral services, foster care, adoption, welfare to work programs, programs to increase child care quality and availability, home-based case management, truancy prevention, counseling, a youth residential treatment center, as well as teen pregnancy prevention and infant mortality prevention programs. Services are provided out of eight offices located throughout Delaware as well as in homes, schools, and other community locations. Over 50,000 individuals benefited from services statewide in 2007. Children & Families First is a member of the United Way of Delaware and is accredited by COA (Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children).
