An Outreach family development specialist began working with a financially struggling family with a two-year-old and 12-month-old baby nearly two years ago. The mother suffered from depression and both parents were unemployed.

While Outreach does not provide mental health counseling, we do all we can to provide participants with resources they need to navigate the challenges they are facing. Our family development specialist brought a list of counseling facilities along to her home visit and soon, Mom started attended counseling.

The Outreach family development specialist also brought a copy of Outreach’s weekly comprehensive job listings with her to the home visits and helped the parents apply for jobs. Mom eventually was hired as a receptionist and now, a year later, is applying for an assistant manager position within the same company. Dad also found a full-time job. Additionally, their two-year-old son transitioned into a Head Start Center and the one-year-old transitioned from the home-based services to an Early Head Start Center so the parents both could work and earn a meaningful family income.

We are excited to report this family is in the process of buying their first house. The hard work necessary to turn their lives around came from the parents themselves. Our research-based, home-visiting program and family development specialist just offered the tools this family needed to set itself on the path to success!

Outreach’s research-based programs give individuals and families the tools to move themselves toward stability and economic self-sufficiency. Programs are accessible and free of charge to qualified individuals.

To learn more about our programs, visit our website www.outreachworks.org.