Every Family
We recently launched a new and improved parenting education program called Every Family. The name Every Family originated with our desire to create a space where every family has the opportunity to provide for their children. We do this through providing material support, equipping parents through educational curriculum and encouraging them through one-on-one meetings enabling them to be successful in their parenting journey.
The Curriculum
The recently expanded and renamed program, Every Family, now allows us to support families from pregnancy until their youngest child turns five years old. By providing education through crucial developmental periods in their child’s life, we empower parents with the tools they need to make healthy choices, develop a special connection with their children, and thrive as parents. Our curriculum walks families through education based on developmental age: pregnancy, newborn, infant, toddler, and preschool. We love to celebrate with moms and dads on key developmental milestones. Families also gain support in their unique parenting situations with our trained volunteers and staff.
Along with our Every Family curriculum, we have partnered with the Connected Families team to help lay a foundation for our program. The Connected Families framework (below) is a simple, yet profound approach to positive parenting. The goal is for each child to feel safe, loved, capable, and responsible.
Jenna Orrock, Office Manager at our Richfield center, shared,
Our curriculum allows our clients to make choices for themselves, their pregnancies, and their parenting. Each lesson empowers the parents with education on a number of topics throughout their parenting journey. This helps them to feel confident and in control of their choices as well as prepared for the arrival of their child. These confident decisions allow them to be the experts in parenting their children.
Holistic Support
The Every Family parenting program is enhanced with support from our licensed social workers and client advocates to help parents navigate the resources available to them, find a place of stability, and provide their children with a strong foundation that can directly impact future generations. Orrock added, “Through the life-giving support of our parenting program, we hope our clients will not feel the need to seek abortion services, but will find life and hope through the care provided as well as have the opportunity to live the abundantly joyful life God intends for each of us.”
From A Coach’s Perspective
I began volunteering with New Life Family Services ten years ago when I learned my beloved daughter was volunteering for Planned Parenthood. It motivated me to get off the couch and to do something tangibly.
I truly empathize with New Life’s clients due to experiences in my own life. Many years ago, my child passed away a few hours after birth. I was in an abusive marriage when we adopted two children from Korea. My husband and I divorced, and soon after, I became pregnant unexpectedly. It was this unplanned pregnancy that led me to Jesus. Because of God’s grace, two years later, I married the father. Together, we had another child and are still happily married today.
God redeems sin and can use it to help others. Through each of these events in my life, I can relate to many experiences our clients are facing regularly. It has been a blessing to meet with families, and I have even had clients who decided to follow Christ. I try to encourage everyone if I can, and point them to Jesus for help.
-Robin, Parenting Coach
We Need You To Help Support Every Family
We are currently taking applications for Parenting Coaches and Parenting Program Assistants in our First Care Offices. This volunteer opportunity is 4–5 hours per week working directly with families. All training and support is provided by New Life. Contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Traci, at traci@nlfs.org to learn more.
PARENTING COACH
We are in need of volunteers who have experience working with children and/or parents with a background in coaching, teaching, care-taking, or counseling others. Applicants for this role need excellent listening and verbal skills, along with the ability to empathize with others. Parenting Coaches provide parenting education and model learning opportunities while engaging in conversation-based coaching sessions with parents who have children
ages five and under.
PROGRAM ASSISTANT
Program Assistants warmly greet and check in clients for appointments, support Parenting Coaches by preparing materials for each coaching session, and assist clients in utilizing the clothing closet. If you enjoy creating a welcoming environment, have excellent administrative and communication skills, and are able to multi-task, please consider becoming a Parenting Program Assistant.
