Family Expo Provides Resources and Fun Activities for Parents and Children

Northern New Jersey parents recently enjoyed a Family Expo, sponsored by the Sussex County Family Success Center at Project Self-Sufficiency and Project Sussex Kids, the County Council for Young Children.  Break-out sessions for parents offered tips for dealing with children’s emotional outbursts or temper tantrums and discussed early intervention services and child study team processes.  Hearing screenings and a Q&A with an attorney rounded out the event.  Shop Rite gift cards, a free family weekend at Blue Mountain Day Camp and a free week for a camper at Johnsonburg Camp and Retreat Center were raffled off to delighted parents.

In addition to Project Self-Sufficiency, organizations which hosted information tables at the event included Al Anon/Alateen; American Red Cross; Care Plus NJ – Kinship Navigator Program; Caring Partners CMO; Center for Prevention and Counseling; DAWN Center for Independent Living; Daytop Village of New Jersey; Family Intervention Services; Family Partners; Family Promise; Hardyston Special Education Parent Advisory Group; NAMI Sussex; NJ CEED; NORWESCAP Child and Family Resource Services; Partnership for Maternal and Child Health; Project Self-Sufficiency and the Project Self-Sufficiency Gardeners; State of New Jersey Department of Child Protection & Permanency; Regional Family Support Planning Council #1;  Sussex County Community College; Sussex County Division of Social Services; Sussex County YMCA; Sussex Warren Chronic Disease Coalition; Total Hearing Care; and others.

“The Family Expo encourages parents and children to explore new and interesting activities, and get up-to-date information about local resources,” commented Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency.  “We are grateful to the community groups, parent volunteers, educators, health organizations, and social service agencies in our community who came together to offer this event for local families.”

The Sussex County Family Success Center at Project Self-Sufficiency is part of a network of Family Success Centers across the state whose purpose is to strengthen families and neighborhoods; develop networks of family services that foster healthy families; and to build connections within families, between families and to the community.   The Family Success Center provides a wide range of services to participating families, including assistance with healthcare, substance abuse prevention services, career planning, job training, parenting workshops, and life skills training. 

Project Sussex Kids, the Sussex County Council for Young Children, is an effort funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, which is designed to address the needs of families who are expecting or who are already parenting children up to the age of eight.  County Councils for Young Children are being established in all of the state’s 21 counties to bring together parents, caregivers, and professionals to enhance communication, coordination and collaboration of services.

For information about the programs and services offered at Project Self-Sufficiency through the Sussex County Family Success Center or through Project Sussex Kids, call 973-940-3500 or 844-807-3500, or visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org.