An initiative aimed at helping D.C. families launched Monday with a nearly $4 million grant to build 10 family success centers east of the Anacostia River.
For Families First DC, community-based organizations will work with D.C. Child and Family Services Agency to provide stronger supports to families in Wards 7 and 8 though the centers. The initiative was proposed by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in her Fiscal Year 2020 budget.
The family success centers are scheduled to open in October 2020.
The locations of the centers will be:
Ward 7
- Benning Terrace/Benning Park
- Clay Terrace
- Mayfair/Paradise
- Stoddart Terrace/37th Street
- Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue
Ward 8
- Woodland Terrace
- Anacostia
- Congress Heights
- Washington Highlands
- Bellevue
“What we know is these services at the grassroots level is better,” Bowser said. “Sometimes, people don’t want to go to the Wilson Building or a government building. They want to stay close to home, talk to people they know and trust.”
Jerry Milner, associate commissioner for the Children’s Bureau, echoed what Bowser said.
“Our families out there don’t often come to the child protection agency to say, ‘I need help,'” he said. ”There’s a fear factor there. There’s a stigma that goes with that.”
D.C. Child and Family Services Agency Director Brenda Donald said that there is a need to meet families where they live.
“We’ve got so many services for our families, in terms of health and human services, public safety support, education support, libraries. We want to make sure families access these services. Sometimes, we make it hard and confusing,” Donald said.
All families want to take care of their children, Donald added, but sometimes, things get in the way. So, the earlier those things are identified, barriers are removed and services are linked with families, the better these families are going to be, she said.
The efforts that have been done are showing tangible results, Donald said. D.C. used to have 3,300 kids in foster care, but now, that number is down to 770.
Donald believes more family success centers in people’s neighborhoods will see even better results.
“Families will go to people they trust and know, and they’ll ask questions in a way they may not ask the government because we may make it difficult for them to get at what they really need,” Donald said.
