Community Corner

Village, Schools Partner With Family Center to Expand Early Childhood Education in Oak Park

Oak Park family services non-profit employed as the agency of record for local government mission to broaden early childhood education.

After supporting the needs of families in the Oak Park and River Forest communities for over 30 years, Parenthesis Family Center, 405 S. Euclid Ave., Oak Park, will offer support and early childhood education services to more families than ever before through this new initiative with the Collaboration for Early Childhood, Parenthesis announced Monday. 

Through a partnership with Oak Park Elementary School District 97, Oak Park River Forest High School District 200 and the Village of Oak Park, the Collaboration secured a contract with Parenthesis to serve as the cornerstone provider of a "comprehensive, high-quality" system of services to Oak Park families, according to a news release from Parenthesis Family Center.

The contract will allow Parenthesis Family Center to expand their use of research-based and evidence-informed home visiting and parenting support programs to a greater number of families in Oak Park and River Forest, according to the release.

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“This contract represents a significant expansion of support for families with very young children in Oak Park and River Forest,” said Carollina Song, the chair of the Collaboration’s board of directors. “We are delighted to be working with Parenthesis to ensure that parents have the information and resources they need to be their child’s first and most important teacher.”

Over 30 years ago, founders Sunny Hall and Cathy Blanford noticed a need in the community community for family support and early childhood services, which translated into a practicum project for their Master’s degrees from the Erikson Institute, according to the release. Their practicum evolved into the multi-faceted organization that serves to strengthen family bonds and support early childhood education, according to the release.  

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Today, Parenthesis provides assistance to teen parents and single parents through the Parents As Teachers home visiting program to support the educational growth of both the child and family. 

Parenthesis also maintains the original intent of the organization with its open “drop in” program for community parents, allowing for age appropriate educational activities for children while parents seek peer support and respite.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to expand Parenthesis Family Center’s mission in a way that never would have been possible without this contract with the Collaboration,” said Stephanie Kiesling, Parenthesis Family Center Board President. "Parenthesis Family Center will be the “go-to” resource for all parents of young children in our community."

Founded in 2002 by all six of Oak Park’s governing bodies, the Collaboration for Early Childhood is a public/private partnership that leverages the resources of more than 60 local agencies to promote the development of a comprehensive, community-wide system of high-quality programs and services to foster physical, cognitive and social-emotional development during the critical first five years of life.

Information courtesy of a news release from Parenthesis Family Center.


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