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ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD
FAMILY CENTERS COALITION, INC.
Based in Pinellas County, Florida,
the Neighborhood Family Centers Coalition, Inc. (a 501c3
corporation) was formed to represent the eleven Neighborhood
Family Centers located throughout the county. Created and
funded primarily by a taxing authority, the Juvenile Welfare
Board (JWB), each Coalition member provides a grass roots,
community based approach to the delivery of social services.
Pinellas County, best known for its
beautiful beaches and as a tourist Mecca, is comprised of
twenty-four municipalities, each with its own unique needs.
Located on the Gulf Coast in the most densely populated
county in Florida, the communities served by the Neighborhood
Family Centers (NFC) are confronted with the same issues
faced by other large metropolitan areas.
For example, the high school graduation
rate is 26% below the national average (64% vs. 87%),
tobacco use by 12th graders is double the national rate
(38% vs. 19%) and binge drinking by 12th graders is 26%
higher than the national average (38% vs. 30%). *
With their focus on an asset based
approach to youth and family issues, the NFC's seek to provide
resources that build on those strengths inherent in every
individual. Families participate in programs that encourage
them to read to their children, and parents in need of parenting
skills enhancement are provided with classes that strenghten
their ability to provide positive child development. Youth
are given supplemental help with reading and other essential
skills, allowing them to have a more positive educational
experience. Families in need of services, or even basic
necessities like food, have a resource in their neighborhood
that can either provide services directly or will refer
them to the appropriate agency. Neighborhood Family Centers
are dedicated to the belief that families should have the
resources, supports, and skills necessary to raise their
children in a healty and safe community that promotes the
development of their maximum potential.
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