Blog

As if working to help and heal families hurt by abuse isn’t enough, staff from Family & Children’s Place continues to go above and beyond for young people in our community.

Following a recent call for volunteers for Jefferson County Public Schools’ “Make the Connection Program,” which connects JCPS seventh graders around career choices and exploration, at least four agency staffers stepped up saying, yes, I want to help.

Pam Darnall, president and CEO; Jo Cruz,  director of Family & School Services; Judi Steilberg, director of HANDS; and Tonya Clay, a team leader and therapist, all volunteered to spend time with the students, explaining what they do and, more important, why they do it.

The program goal is to assure every participating student the chance to meet with a professional about his or her career and the path that got them there. Doubtless, they will be inspired by Steilberg, Cruz and Clay, as we all are every day. In all, 20 of 25 JCPS middle school are participating, and the system hopes to recruit 1,000 adults for the effort.

The meetings, two 30-minute sessions, each with five 7^th graders, are scheduled for October.

For staff like Darnall, Steilberg, Cruz and Clay, and their colleagues, it’s about more than helping rebuild children and families, it’s about building community.