Why Partner |
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"Beyond their extraordinarily effective programs, beyond their positive impact on communities
and individuals at risk, The Family Center is, plain and simple, a wonderful neighbor! Over and over again The Family
Center and its staff have made individual and collective contributions to our city, Somerville, MA. Whether it's the sharing
of their facilities and expertise, their availability for consultations and advice or their willingness to collaborate,
they have demonstrated their commitment not just to their core program and its benefits, but to the larger idea that mental
health always has to be seen in context." -
Alex Pirie, Coordinator, Immigrant Service Providers Group
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"What makes The Family Center unique is the direct and compassionate way their
programs and services address the impact race, ethnicity, gender and poverty may have on the everyday struggles
and challenges faced by families and children." - Gretchen Kinder, Somerville Public Schools Research and
Development Coordinator
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Modeling the philosophy that individuals cannot grow without the support of family and other community supports,
The Family Center relies on myriad collaborations with local and state governments and non-profit agencies.
We welcome referrals from any agency, church, school or community group who feels their families could benefit from our work.
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Our Commitment to Diversity and Cultural Competency
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The Family Center believes in meeting the needs of diverse groups within all of the services that we provide.
Our professional staff is made up of racially and culturally diverse therapists, parent educators, and family
advocates whose experiences mirror those of our clients. Native speakers of Haitian Creole, Spanish, and Portuguese
provide services for families from these cultural backgrounds. We believe that only those who have themselves experienced
the dislocation and strain of acculturation - individuals who know the values and customs of a family's native land -
can fully understand the stresses immigrant families face and the cultural strengths they bring to solving their problems.
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We Are Results Driven
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Evaluation is a critical component of Family Center programs. We want to know how well our services are working,
for whom they are working, and how we can improve upon them. That's why we have a formal Outcomes and Evaluation Program.
In consultation with the Institute for Community Health
(Institute for Community Health),
we use cutomized, culturally-sensitive outcomes tools to gauge changes not only in improvements in individual well-being
but also in the relationships between family members. In addition to using our customized outcomes tools,
The Family Center collects qualitative data by conducting focus groups with program participants.
The data these evaluations supply help us deliver ever-better services to our families.
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We Would Like to Share Our Space
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The Family Center operates out of an 18,000 square foot facility in the heart of Union Square,
a diverse neighborhood that serves as a nexus between Boston, Cambridge, Somerville and other communities in greater Boston.
The centerpiece of The Family Center's building is our long, curved hallway. Clients glide through this "corridor of
services" past classrooms, cozy family therapy rooms, and activity spaces without feeling exposed or stigmatized.
This ideal facility enables us to develop and enhance the wide range of family support programs that complement our
family-focused clinical services. We are always open to sharing our space with community organizations seeking meeting
or event space. To request free use of our space, please complete and submit this form.
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