Regardless of where they live, families form the foundation of every society. That’s why the United Nations celebrates and honors families on May 15 every year. The International Day of Families was first proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 to highlight the importance the international community attaches to families. The International Day promotes awareness of issues relating to families and increases knowledge of the social, economic, and demographic processes affecting families.
Saint Francis Ministries has always recognized the importance of stable, healthy families in the lives of children. Our mission statement says we provide healing and hope to children and families, and around here, we like to say that “strong families make children’s lives better.”
This commitment to families is made manifest through our in-home prevention programs like Family Centered Treatment (FCT) and Texas Home Visiting. FCT, for instance:
- Prioritizes keeping families intact by equipping them with strategies and skills to manage daily challenges effectively.
- Collaborates with families to recognize and build upon their inherent strengths, ensuring the well-being and safety of their children.
- Offers clinicians the unique opportunity to observe and interact with families in their most comfortable setting – their home. This direct engagement facilitates immediate intervention in adverse behaviors and reinforcement of positive life choices.
Saint Francis provides in-home prevention services in Arkansas, Kansas, and Texas, addressing issues like parenting skill development, health and nutrition guidance, financial management and budgeting, emotional management techniques, advocacy and substance use help, crisis intervention and support – all designed to empower families and make them stronger so kids can safely remain home with people they know and love.
SFM also provides a grant-funded program called Fatherhood FIRE (Families Interacting Responsibly and Effectively), which nurtures and strengthens the bond between fathers and their children.
The point of it all is to preserve the wholeness of families so children can enjoy happier, healthier lives.
Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu famously said, “There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.” Therein lies the power of prevention.
Perhaps the best way to celebrate families is to ensure they have the skills, education, support, and access to resources they need to be successful.
