 |
|
 |
|
The Dorchester CARES
collaborative was established in 1989 as a model for comprehensive
family strengthening and child abuse prevention with funding
from the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. The Dorchester
CARES Coalition for Families and Children, designated in June
of 1996 as a pilot for the Department of Social Services Community
Connections Initiative, is an expansion of the original CARES
collaborative and includes a larger number of new agency and
consumer partners. Our partners in prevention are offering time,
expertise, creativity and resources to accomplish our common
goals:
- Collaboration
- Advocacy
- Resources
- Education
- Services to strengthen families and their neighborhoods.
The mission of the Dorchester CARES Coalition for Families and
Children is to coordinate, develop and institutionalize comprehensive
community-based programs, which will support families and prevent
child abuse and neglect in target neighborhoods. To achieve
this mission, we bring together all interested individuals and
organizations in order to strengthen families and build more
supportive communities.
Through the collaborative efforts of its partners, CARES has
developed a continuum of creative family support services.
These services include: three neighborhood Family Cooperatives
providing basic needs, education and social support; the Nurturing
Program for Parents and Children, teaching parenting skills
and enhancing family life; Welcome Baby visits to families
with newborns and Dorchester Family Connections, ongoing
home visiting for families with young children.
In an effort to achieve its goal of an integrated system of
neighborhood-based family support, CARES utilizes the following
coordinating vehicles:
- Prevention Team, an interagency team, coordinated by CARES,
brings together staff from collaborating service providers
to plan supportive strategies for families at risk.
- Grove Hall Family Strengthening Task Force (FSTF) a group
of residents and community organizations, convened by CARES,
to work together to build a network of family support programs
in the Grove Hall neighborhood. CARES support some of the
organizations with mini-grants for their grass-roots family
support work.
- Patch, a partnership between the Dorchester CARES Coalition,
community residents, the Department of Social Services and
the Department of Youth Services to bring the community
together with public agencies to promote the safety and
well being of families in our neighborhood.
Dorchester CARES partners are:
- Children's Trust Fund
- City of Boston
- Massachusetts Department of Education
- Hyams Foundation
- Massachusetts Department of Social Services
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- New England Medical Center
- The Riley Foundation & Private Contributors
|
|
|
