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Children do better when their families are strong and
families do better when they live in communities that
help them succeed.
This is the premise of National Family Week,
which has been celebrated
here in Jacksonville for over 15 years. This initiative was sponsored
by a grant given to Family Foundations by the Alliance for Children and
Families with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
The theme for National Family Week is “Celebrating Jacksonville’ Strong Families
in our Neighborhoods and Schools.” Family Foundations held a
series of events highlighting this theme.
Family Foundations was delighted to receive a proclamation from John Peyton,
Mayor of Jacksonville, proclaiming National Family Week as a time for families
to strengthen relationships between parents and children. Mayor Peyton declared that
families provide children with the encouragement, support and love they need to
become confident, compassionate and successful members of society.
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Community Advocacy Award
Michael Corrigan, Jacksonville City Council Member, was presented with
National Family Week’s prestigious Community Advocate Award.
Dawn Lockhart, President of Family Foundations, presented this award
at the Jessie Ball duPont Fund’s Asset Building Conference.
Michael was selected to receive this honor for his dedication to the work
of 1000 in 1000, a community initiative designed to move 1,000 people out
of poverty in 1,000 days. The goal of this effort is to bring financial
stability to families. Michael is an advocate committed to ensuring that
citizens of Jacksonville have the opportunity to move out and stay out of
poverty.
Congratulations!
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Family Celebrations
An evening of celebration of National Family Week was held at
Oak Hill Elementary School, one of the Westside Full Service Schools.
Over 150 parents and children attended this dinner and festivity.
The message of the event was on the power of the family and how neighborhoods,
schools and communities are transformed by the involvement of parents in their
children’s lives. Every family was presented with a National Family Week Certificate
commemorating their involvement.
At the suggestion of Family Foundation’s Board Member, Andy Marsh,
Palmer Catholic Academy also held a commemoration of National Family Week,
where all 400 students were invited to write a short prayer of thanksgiving to take home
and share with their families.
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Workplace Celebrations
Heather Owen, Chair of Family Foundations Board of Directors and a Partner in Constangy,
Brooks and Smith, LLC hosted a National Family Week breakfast with her colleagues to endorse
the principles of strong families.
A National Family Week Employee Appreciation luncheon for 600 employees of Semperian Financial
Services Corporation, a GMAC affiliate, was hosted by Bill Magro, Family Foundations Board Member
and Executive Vice President of Collections for Semperian. Employee response was so positive
that Semperian is hosting a follow–up event on December 23 where employees will be invited to
bring their children to a morning at work.
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Copyright 2009 Family Foundations of Northeast Florida, Inc. |
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