BOISE, Idaho — Family Advocates is just one of many organizations helping families across the Treasure Valley through programs like Family Stregthing and CASA.
You can donate money to support the Community Baby Shower here. Proceeds go directly to local charities, and this year, they go even further – with the Scripps Howard Fund matching donations up to 10-thousand dollars.
- The Community Baby Shower is an annual initiative where we give back to local organizations helping families across the Valley.
- Family Advocateshas been serving families for nearly 50 years. Their programs help build strong family dynamics and relationships.
- Family Advocates provides 10-week courses related to strengthening your family, as well, as their CASAProgram where volunteers advocate for kids in the foster care system.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Family Advocates has been strengthening Treasure Valley families for almost 50 years.
I'm your neighborhood reporter Jessica Davis and as we count down to the upcoming Idaho News 6 Community Baby Shower, we explore how these programs help the next generation.
It was just really eye-opening like 'oh it's that easy to fix this and I'm doing it all wrong',” said Paige Mainifo.
Paige Mainifo is a parent of three, and for two years she’s been focused on strengthening her family's dynamic.
“They do a lot of teaching about like as parents how to deal with certain things from kids that they don't give you the rulebook for that or the handbook for it," said Mainifo.
Through Family Advocates, parents like Paige Mainifo can take a free 10-week family strengthing course, created to build healthy family relationships. They also offer an additional program called CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates, where volunteers advocate for kids in the foster care system.
"Everybody needs help especially when you have little children and there's your everyday stressors in life whether it's a job search, or you're putting food on the table, education. You just have basic questions,” said Executive Director, for Family Advocates, Kathryn Seebold.
That's what the ten-week family strengthening courseoffers nearly three months of classes, learning everything from managing stress to peaceful parenting.
"We see just a confidence in the parents often that they know what to do next. They're not hesitant. They have more calm about them. The stress seems to level out a little bit and they know that they have support in the community,” said Seebold.
“A lot of parents think oh they're doing this to make me upset and it's just that you have to take the time from what you're doing, and give them that attention or the positive feedback,” said Mainifo.
Paige has been through the first 10-week course with an additional course under her belt as well.
Her son Corey Sousa, says he can tell the difference at home.
“It's not so we got to do this, we got to do that, hurry, hurry, hurry! It's not just like rush out the door, it's like okay we got to figure out what we need to do and then we can do it,” said Sousa.
The Community Baby Shower is coming on June 13th where you can help Family Advocates and other organizations by donating things like diapers and formulas to your local Albertsons.
If you'd like to donate money to help support the Community Baby Shower, you can do so by clicking here.
