Our Programs

Our Programs

Our Programs - The Power of Parenting ProgramThe Power of Parenting Program is a 12-session program where parents come together to strengthen their knowledge, skills, and supports. The Ripple Program is a year-long experience that includes 6 parent leadership trainings, 2 staff professional development trainings on how to work effectively with parents, and a 5-month Community Impact Project that brings parent voices to decisions and policies at a local, municipal, or state agency and advances career skills.
Our programs rely on deep collaborations with partner organizations such as childcare centers, housing developments, and other neighborhood-based sites so we can engage parents in the neighborhoods where they live.
At Families First, “parent” is defined as any adult who holds the responsibility of raising a child at any point in time (including grandparents, caregivers, guardians, adoptive and biological parents).

The Power of Parenting Program

  • 12 interactive group sessions

  • Parent leadership opportunities

Families First program features a developmentally staged curriculum for parents of children from birth to age three and ages three to eight. The program includes evidence-based curriculum, expert-informed facilitators, parent café leadership discussions and opportunities, and partnerships with community-based organizations.

The Ripple Program

  • Parent leadership trainings
  • Community impact projects
  • Stipends & resources

Quote: “When parents are engaged as partners and leaders in the programs and policies that support young children's learning and healthy development, children thrive and systems improve.” — Manifesto for Race Equity and Parent Leadership in Early Childhood Systems, Center for the Study of Social Policy.

Alumni Services

Alumni Services

 

Alumni Services support parents through five key objectives: sustained connection, support network, professional development, recognition of alumni, and parenting support.
Family engagement at Families First is the active and intentional collaboration of families and partner organizations, ensuring that parents’ voices are at the core of all activities, programs, and decision-making processes. Through our programming, we center the diverse lived experiences of families, fostering a community built on trust, respect, equity, and belonging. This approach leads to improved outcomes for families and children, strengthens communities, and drives systemic change.