A Note from our Executive Director
Dear friend,
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. We at IVYP are very mindful of our role as a “primary preventer” of Child Abuse. IVYP’s work in supporting families through life’s challenges is part of why we are active members of the local Child Abuse Prevention Council.
Here are just some of the recent and upcoming family strengthening initiatives offered by IVYP
• Grandparent Class for non-custodial grandparents. In partnership with zerotothree.org, IVYP is piloting a seven week class for grandparents who care for their grandchildren regularly. We are one of three organizations across the country who will be piloting this course in Spanish.
• Diapers! Parenting a young child is hard enough without worrying about paying for diapers. Even before the pandemic, one in three families who needed diapers could not afford them. When a family comes to us to pick up diapers, we are also able to address other parental stressors including food insecurity and parenting skills. Since we began distributing diapers in February, we have distributed 8,964 diapers and 24,500 wipes. (As of April 15, 2021
• High-quality, trauma- informed childcare: By providing excellent, age-appropriate, low or no-cost childcare to children 0 – 6th grade we are not only enabling parents to work so that they can provide for their families, we are also promoting children’s success in school, both academically and socially-emotionally.
• Community Engagement: When parents are engaged in their community, children learn that they are part of a larger whole. On April 28, IVYP is sponsoring a bilingual virtual town hall with Congressman Salud Carbajal. This event will create space for our families to lift up their voices and speak directly to our Congressman. This type of event is new for IVYP and it’s part of a larger strategy to promote and scaffold community engagement. Everyone is welcome. You can register here.
These are just a small sample of the many ways IVYP is working to strengthen families, while mitigating the effects of poverty, racism, and trauma.
Lori Goodman
Executive Director
