Greetings!

At Family Focus, doing the right work starts with a clear mission, a strong sense of accountability, and a shared commitment to walking alongside families with care, respect and purpose. Our recent all-team member Summer Institute themed, Doing the RIGHT Work and Doing What’s Right, reminds us that impact is measured by what we accomplish, AND by how we show up for children, families, colleagues and the communities we serve. 

As we reflect on FY2026, we are proud of what our teams made possible together and of the right work happening every day across Family Focus. This past year we served 20,481 people across 5,775 families, completed 25,973 home visits, and supported 1,079 students in after-school programs across 11 service areas. Behind every number is a trusted relationship, a meaningful connection and a team member who showed up with care and purpose to help open the door to stability, learning, healing or hope. 

In this edition, we are celebrating the people and partnerships that make Family Focus’s mission possible - from new support for Aurora families through the Aurora Women's Empowerment Foundation grant, recognition of our Belmont Cragin team’s work with Latino youth to the leadership development happening through our Leadership Lab and Summer Institute. We also highlight the advocacy needed to protect vital programs like Head Start, while celebrating our own team members, including our Employee of the Year, whose dedication reminds us that the strength of Family Focus begins with the people who bring this mission to life every day. 

Each story reflects what we know to be true: doing the RIGHT work means staying focused on what matters most and showing up with care and purpose. Thank you for being part of the Family Focus community and for helping us do what is right for families across Chicago. 

Warmly, 

Dara Cohen 

President & CEO, Family Focus

Partner Spotlight: Aurora Women's Empowerment Foundation Awards Grant to Family Focus

We were honored to be selected as a 2026 grant recipient by the Aurora Women’s Empowerment Foundation (AWEF), a community-based organization that supports efforts to help women and girls in the Aurora area overcome barriers and reach their fullest potential. 

This investment will support Family Focus’s comprehensive early childhood services and whole-family navigation supports through our Aurora Kapur Center. For families navigating pregnancy, early childhood, economic instability, and changing life circumstances, trusted support can make all the difference. 

Doing What Is Right: Protecting Head Start

As part of our commitment to our young learners, we are closely following proposed federal changes that could significantly affect Head Start standards, including long-standing protections for program quality, child safety, parent engagement, school readiness, and services for children with disabilities and dual language learners. 

For more than 60 years, Head Start has helped children and families access comprehensive early learning and family support services during some of the most important years of development. At Family Focus, we see every day that Head Start is more than a classroom. It is a trusted support system that helps children build strong foundations while connecting parents and caregivers to resources that strengthen the whole family. 

Protecting Head Start means protecting access, opportunity, and the quality supports children, families, and educators rely on. We encourage our community to use its voice during the public comment period and stand with families who depend on these vital services. 

Submit your public comment before the October 6, 2026 deadline and help protect Head Start for the children and families who need it most.

Recognizing the Right Work: Belmont Cragin Nominated For Cook County Honor

The Office of Cook County Commissioner Jessica Vásquez has nominated Family Focus's Belmont Cragin Center for special recognition from Cook County, honoring the center's ongoing commitment to supporting Latino youth and strengthening families in the Belmont Cragin community.

The recognition took place on September 22 during a special county press conference.

This honor reflects the daily commitment of our Belmont Cragin team and the trust they have built with youth and families across the community. Their work reminds us that doing what is right often begins with being present, listening deeply, and creating spaces where young people feel seen, supported, and valued.

People Behind the Purpose: Employee Spotlight

We recently launched our inaugural Team Members of the Year Awards Program, creating a new tradition that recognizes the extraordinary individuals who bring our mission, vision, and values to life every day. 

During our Summer Institute, we celebrated 12 Team Members of the Year, one representing each Family Focus center, in recognition of their outstanding commitment to children, families, colleagues, and communities.

• Virginia "Vicky" Rivera (Family Advocacy Worker, Aurora)
• Siomara Aguirre (Case Manager, Belmont Cragin)
• Nora Hernandez (Home Visitor, Cicero)
• Salma Gonzalez (Parent Educator, DuPage)
• Kiara Williams (Case Manager, Englewood)
• JoAnn Avery (Case Manager/Program Coordinator, Evanston)
• Ximena Beteta Hernandez (Program Assistant, Highland Park)
• Sharon Taylor (Lead Teacher, Hyde Park)
• Terricka Christian (Case Manager, Lawndale)
• Trenetta McLemore (Early Childhood Specialist, Loop Office)
• Marta Drogobytska (Family Advocate, South Holland)
• Dorothy Pinkston (Assistant Teacher, South Shore)

Each honoree was also recognized as a finalist for the agency's Difference Maker of the Year Award, celebrating leadership that inspires others and strengthens our organization. 

Celebrating Culture and Community at Roots Aurora 

On Friday, September 4, the Family Focus Aurora-Kapur Center brought the heart of Aurora’s many cultures to life at Downtown Aurora’s Water Street Mall for Roots Aurora: Celebrating Our Cultures!

Families, neighbors, and community partners came together for a day filled with music, dancing, art, children’s activities, local vendors, and plenty of opportunities to connect. From the children’s parade of flags representing nations from around the world to an exciting lineup of cultural performances, there was something to celebrate at every turn.

What Does It Mean to Leave a Legacy?

For longtime Family Focus Board member and donor Judy Block, leaving a legacy meant carrying forward one of the values she held most deeply: giving children the opportunity to thrive.

By including Family Focus in her estate plans, Judy created a gift that will continue strengthening children, families, and communities for generations to come. In a special video, Judy’s daughter and son-in-law reflect on the love, values, and commitment to children that inspired her legacy gift – and continue to shape her family’s connection to Family Focus today.

Watch Judy’s story and learn how you, too, can make Family Focus part of your legacy. 

To learn more about planned giving or to share your legacy intentions, please contact Amy O’Keeffe, Director of Leadership Giving, at (773) 895-9280 or email amy.okeeffe@family-focus.org.