Family Matters
Organization Logo
Telephone
773-465-6011
Fax
773-465-6425
Website Address
Contacts
Kim DeLong, Executive Director
Tawanna Brown, Deputy Director
Debbie Winton, Development Director
Mary Jo Deysach, Administrative Director
Tawanna Brown, Deputy Director
Debbie Winton, Development Director
Mary Jo Deysach, Administrative Director
Hours of Operation
Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM - 8:30 PM; Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 PM
Mission Statement
Preparing Leaders - Cultivating Connections - Illuminating Choices
Family Matters is a family-centered organization in the North of Howard neighborhood that seeks to be a catalyst for change – building and strengthening the community through programs that support personal growth and leadership. We strive to be a safe, positive second home where families of diverse culture and experience come together and find equal acceptance, encouragement and challenge. We believe the community must determine its own needs and can meet those needs through a partnership comprising neighborhood residents, staff, volunteers and donors. We encourage respect for self and others and practice three principles of leadership: 1) utilizing peaceful conflict resolution, 2) embracing positive thinking and language and 3) and illuminating the power of responsible decision-making.
Family Matters supports all participants and their families in addressing self-identified issues within their communities and beyond. To that end, we utilize shared leadership within a personal-to-worldwide model of activism that begins with learning how to be an activist in one’s own life.
Family Matters is a family-centered organization in the North of Howard neighborhood that seeks to be a catalyst for change – building and strengthening the community through programs that support personal growth and leadership. We strive to be a safe, positive second home where families of diverse culture and experience come together and find equal acceptance, encouragement and challenge. We believe the community must determine its own needs and can meet those needs through a partnership comprising neighborhood residents, staff, volunteers and donors. We encourage respect for self and others and practice three principles of leadership: 1) utilizing peaceful conflict resolution, 2) embracing positive thinking and language and 3) and illuminating the power of responsible decision-making.
Family Matters supports all participants and their families in addressing self-identified issues within their communities and beyond. To that end, we utilize shared leadership within a personal-to-worldwide model of activism that begins with learning how to be an activist in one’s own life.
Primary Programs and Services
Family Connections is an after-school leadership development program for children ages 5 through 12, and their families, that is licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services. Family Connections demonstrates a thoughtful balance between structure, which provides children a sense of security, and creative spontaneity, which evokes their sense of wonder and adventure. The program builds academic strengths and aspirations, supports children in working effectively with others, introduces them to the assets in their community, and guides them in making meaningful contributions to the community.
Community Tutoring is an initiative offering four distinct school-based and after-school programs: 1) a one-on-one evening tutoring program where trained tutors work with students using individualized lesson plans; 2) Learning Matters Summer School which includes small-group reading and math tutoring, a project-based learning camp, and one-on-one evening tutoring; 3) IREAD, one-on-one tutoring that focuses on improving the spelling, reading, and writing skills of students of all ages who struggle due to dyslexia or other learning disabilities; and 4) Wee Read, an early literacy component focused on pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students.
Sisters in Unity and Brothers on the Move, for youth ages 11-13, and Sisters of Struggle and Brothers of New Directions, for youth ages 14-18, are Family Matters’ Teen Programs. Their common goal is to facilitate life-enhancing leadership and community-building opportunities for youth in the North of Howard neighborhood. They seek to equip young women and men with the resources, knowledge, and experience to make life-affirming decisions – particularly in areas that most impact the lives of young people, such as relationships, education, health, and careers. Teen boys program participants are currently focusing on an arts-to-entrepreneurship initiative, through which they are learning basic business skills, transferable to any setting, to enable them to market their art products. The teen girls are engaged in a personal-to-worldwide model of activism, wherein they address self-identified issues, such as violence prevention and health, on multiple systemic levels.
The Respectful Community is a training program that teaches the Principles of Leadership to individuals and groups – including teachers, students, parents, community leaders, organizations, businesses and faith-based institutions
In response to the changing needs and desires of the community, as well as the social and environmental conditions in which we operate, Family Matters facilitates organization-wide special initiatives. Each initiative advances the organization’s mission.
• Project Sage - Greening Family Matters, a volunteer-led and funded project designed to reduce energy consumption and expand safe space within the organization;
• FEEL (Food and Exercise to Eat and Live) Fit, which assists youth and parents in adopting attitudes and behaviors that foster a lifetime of health and wellness; and the
• Postsecondary Readiness Initiative, which promotes academic achievement and provides postsecondary awareness and readiness support to all Family Matters program participants.
Community Tutoring is an initiative offering four distinct school-based and after-school programs: 1) a one-on-one evening tutoring program where trained tutors work with students using individualized lesson plans; 2) Learning Matters Summer School which includes small-group reading and math tutoring, a project-based learning camp, and one-on-one evening tutoring; 3) IREAD, one-on-one tutoring that focuses on improving the spelling, reading, and writing skills of students of all ages who struggle due to dyslexia or other learning disabilities; and 4) Wee Read, an early literacy component focused on pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students.
Sisters in Unity and Brothers on the Move, for youth ages 11-13, and Sisters of Struggle and Brothers of New Directions, for youth ages 14-18, are Family Matters’ Teen Programs. Their common goal is to facilitate life-enhancing leadership and community-building opportunities for youth in the North of Howard neighborhood. They seek to equip young women and men with the resources, knowledge, and experience to make life-affirming decisions – particularly in areas that most impact the lives of young people, such as relationships, education, health, and careers. Teen boys program participants are currently focusing on an arts-to-entrepreneurship initiative, through which they are learning basic business skills, transferable to any setting, to enable them to market their art products. The teen girls are engaged in a personal-to-worldwide model of activism, wherein they address self-identified issues, such as violence prevention and health, on multiple systemic levels.
The Respectful Community is a training program that teaches the Principles of Leadership to individuals and groups – including teachers, students, parents, community leaders, organizations, businesses and faith-based institutions
In response to the changing needs and desires of the community, as well as the social and environmental conditions in which we operate, Family Matters facilitates organization-wide special initiatives. Each initiative advances the organization’s mission.
• Project Sage - Greening Family Matters, a volunteer-led and funded project designed to reduce energy consumption and expand safe space within the organization;
• FEEL (Food and Exercise to Eat and Live) Fit, which assists youth and parents in adopting attitudes and behaviors that foster a lifetime of health and wellness; and the
• Postsecondary Readiness Initiative, which promotes academic achievement and provides postsecondary awareness and readiness support to all Family Matters program participants.
Volunteer Opportunities
Community Tutoring welcomes new tutors throughout the year. All tutors receive an initial orientation and ongoing training and support throughout the year. During the school year tutors work with students in 90-minute sessions in the evening (6:30-8:00 p.m.), Monday through Thursday; IREAD tutors work with students Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in 45-minutes sessions.
Family Connections and the Teen Girls and Teen Boys programs welcome volunteers to provide homework assistance, as well as to share their skills in a wide range of areas including the arts, personal growth and career development.
Our annual Walk-A-Thon in May and our Fall Event offer many opportunities for volunteer involvement: committee participation, planning, soliciting financial support and attendance at the events.
Family Connections and the Teen Girls and Teen Boys programs welcome volunteers to provide homework assistance, as well as to share their skills in a wide range of areas including the arts, personal growth and career development.
Our annual Walk-A-Thon in May and our Fall Event offer many opportunities for volunteer involvement: committee participation, planning, soliciting financial support and attendance at the events.
Map
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