Our Outcomes - Families First

Families First assesses the impact of our programs using data from parent participants, community partners, and our Program Facilitators. Regularly analyzing this data enables us to understand the impact of our programs and continuously improve our work.

In 2024-2025:

830 parents participated
Approximately 1,660 children benefited
45 Power of Parenting programs completed
192 parents engaged in leadership opportunities
222 parents participated in alumni events
16 alumni and community events held

Among parents who graduated from our Power of Parenting programs:

95% improved in at least one area related to the Protective Factors or parenting stress

Among parents who graduated from our Ripple Program:

97% have more goals in their future
96% more often like to hear different points of view in a discussion
96% have a stronger sense of who they are

Evaluation Highlights

All of our programs are evidence informed and centered on the Five Protective Factors framework. With these factors in place, families are able to thrive. Below are examples of evaluation results that show our impact in relation to each Protective Factor.

A knowledgeable parent is able to better understand, and therefore better support, the needs of their children.

“Families First has benefited me in being able to find a correct and effective approach when trying to communicate with my child so that we can both understand each other well.”

Parents in our programs reported the following improvements...

Stronger understanding of children
- Understand the “why” behind behaviors

Stronger communication and discipline strategies
- Stay calm
- More talking, less yelling
- Listen and encourage their children more
- More open-minded in conversations

More use of positive parenting tactics
- Implement routines for their children
- Allow their children to make choices
- Take time for themselves

Parents’ supportive interactions and knowledge of child development build children’s abilities to self-regulate and communicate how they feel. With these abilities, they can build strong relationships throughout their lives.

“Now I try to understand my children’s perspectives and reflect on how they will feel when I speak to them a certain way. I listen, understand, and respect them.

“I’ve also seen changes in my son’s behavior… my son would act out physically, no listening. But now he uses his words; he tells me, ‘Mommy I don’t like this’ or ‘A friend hurt my feelings.’ And he holds me and his dad accountable for what we do, so I don’t get away with anything!” – Gigi, parent leader

A resilient parent manages stress and functions well when faced with parenting challenges. Being able to manage this stress enables parents to better care for themselves and their families.

“I give myself a time-out because I’m a yeller; so I go in my room. I take space so I can communicate. We’ll talk through the space under the door or the keyhole, and it works.”

Through our programs, parents learn and practice new ways of managing their stress.

Parents reported the following improvements:

Awareness of how stress affects a parent’s relationship with their child
Use of strategies to manage parenting stress
Confidence in parenting

Using our Identity Mapping evaluation tool, we are able to capture increases in parental resilience.

The Identity Map below demonstrates one parent’s negative emotions before the program and an entirely new outlook after the program. With the confidence and strategies she gained, she was able to see her parenting and relationship with her children in a more positive light.

Identity map showing one parent’s emotional change before and after the program. Before the program the parent described feeling frustrated, disconnected, stressed, lonely, and angry with her children. After participating in the program she describes feeling happier, loving, caring, and more understanding, with more family fun, structure, and a stronger connection with her children.

A parent who is connected to other parents is able to grow their network of family support.

“There are a lot of things I now realize… I’m not just by myself. Other people deal with the same issue.”

Families First provides a comfortable space for parents to spend an extended amount of time together, enabling them to build connections with one another.

Over the past year, our impact in this area has grown tremendously. From sharing strategies to becoming like a family, parents connected as they increased their networks of support around parenting.

Quotes from parents describing stronger social connections developed through the program. Parents shared strategies such as taking a moment to breathe before responding to challenges and asking questions to understand their child’s emotions. Participants also described becoming more open to advice from others and forming deeper bonds, describing the group as a sisterhood or family that provides support during difficult times.

A parent whose basic needs are met is able to focus more on their family.

“I didn’t have a driver’s license, I didn’t have a car, I didn’t finish high school, so it was hard to find a good paying job… but my son was my motivation.” – Omaira, parent participant

Collaborating with strong community partners allows us to expand beyond parenting support to meet additional family needs. This year, our efforts with partners allowed us to better support parents in the following areas:

Housing services
Financial literacy training and assistance
Interview guidance and attire
College credits

“Families First supports me to do whatever I want to do. If I want to take over the world, they’re like ‘We’re right there with you, Gigi!’” – Gigi, parent leader