|
|
ParentWISE
ParentWISE, Inc. Joins with Family Services
of Western
By Karen Fetter
ParentWISE, Inc. of
Westmoreland County has been acquired by Family
Services of Western Pennsylvania (FSWP).
As a part of the Community Partnership division
of FSWP, ParentWISE offers the same quality
workshops and programs for families throughout
Southwestern PA. ParentWISE’s new location
is 211 Huff Avenue in Greensburg, PA.
According to Julie Cawoski, Program Coordinator
of FSWP, ParentWISE started 30 years ago as a
parent support group in Latrobe. It had a
volunteer board and a volunteer staff for 10
years. The original group grew to an
agency with many groups and programs for
families. It also grew from having no
funding to a budget of $300,000 per year.
After a third of their funding was cut in 2005,
ParentWISE began looking for an organization to
partner with. The partnership with FSWP is
a perfect match. ParentWISE’s parent and
community programs are a great benefit for the
clients of Family Services of Western
Pennsylvania. Therefore, the entire staff
of five from ParentWISE joined with over 400
employees of FSWP. The mission of
ParentWISE has been preserved and one person
from its board of directors is on the FSWP
board. The original ParentWISE board will
be dissolved and become an advisory committee of
FSWP.
The ParentWISE program of FSWP offers a wide
range of services and classes that revolve
around family issues including parenting,
fatherhood, and new dad classes. FSWP has
partnered with Excela Health to provide six
birthing and infant classes for new parents in
2008. However, infants and toddlers
are not the only focus for the programs.
There are classes for understanding the youth of
today that include help with social networking,
local drug use, sex, teen’s rights, and school
success. There are also classes focused on
neglect and abuse and dealing with children with
ADHD or other special needs. Furthermore,
there are classes for grandparents who are
primary caregivers to help them understand the
changing world around them with their
grandchildren.
FSWP also has workshops for PTAs, church groups,
and school districts. One program that is
extremely helpful is the Bee Kind program.
This program started 12 years ago and teaches
preschoolers about kindness.
People can call 1-800-544-0227 to get help with
any questions they may, especially if they
cannot make it to a class. Classes change
periodically and cover over 40 topics. To
learn more information about a class or to
register, please call 724-837-5410.
************
In addition to the
ParentWISE division, Family Services of Western
Pennsylvania (FSWP) offers a wide range of
programs, supports, and services to children,
adults, and families in Allegheny and
Westmoreland County.
Counseling Services help people with emotional
problems, mental illness, mental retardation, or
drug and alcohol problems. Included are
outpatient services, life skill education,
crisis intervention, individual and family
counseling, and marital counseling.
The Foster Care program offers 24 hour,
7-day-per-week care in the homes of approved and
supervised foster families for children unable
to live with their birth parents.
Prevention services are for those at risk of
emotional, social, or substance abuse problems
through school systems and at community
locations.
Specialized support groups for people who need
transportation and emotional support for people
who are in prison, intensive therapy for
children with mental health and behavioral
problems, and even low interest loans for
automobiles. Rehabilitation and training
services provide vocational evaluations,
rehabilitative training, work skills, home and
community skills, education, and job coaching,
as well as supporting people with mental illness
and/or mental retardation.
FSWP also partners with organizations, local
agencies, government bodies, health care
facilities, businesses, and schools to help
build stronger and healthier communities.
Employee assistance programs provide help for
business, industry, and government employees and
their families. The disaster and crisis
services provide emergency counseling for
disaster relief or crisis management situations.
And lastly, the supportive living service
assists people in controlling their daily lives
through supportive housing.
In order to help raise money for these programs
there are two major fundraisers held each year.
The Family Theater Event will take place Friday,
April 4 at the Garden Civic Center in
Greensburg. The Grease Paint Players, a
children’s production company, will perform the
Emperor’s New Clothes for families.
Tickets are $10.00 and show time is 6 p.m.
There will be games, activities, and a party
before the play begins.
Another event is the Ice Cream Blast that takes
place at the Kirk S. Nevin Recreation Center on
July 19. This is the 13th year for the
main event that begins at noon and lasts until 4
p.m. Approximately 80 booths are arranged
indoors to provide entertainment, games, crafts,
cake and ice cream. The cost is $3.00 per
person.
For further questions or
to schedule a class, please call FSWP at
724-837-5410 or the Help Line at 1-800-544-0227.
Supporting Families in Westmoreland County
FSWP at 724-837-5410 or the Help Line at
1-800-544-0227.
|
