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Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report

Posted in Uncategorized on March 26th, 2023 with No Comments

Stand & Deliver – Julie & Briannalys

Posted in Mentoring, Uncategorized, Youth Development on January 17th, 2022 with No Comments

Julie began volunteering in Family Services’ Stand & Deliver program in 2016. While working at Raytheon Technologies, she donates time each week to academically mentor a Greater Lawrence Technical School student. Julie first met her mentee, Briannalys, in 2019 when she was a sophomore. Since then, they have met weekly throughout each school year.

Julie and Briannalys embody what a thriving and fulfilling mentoring relationship can be like. When asked what makes them a great match, Julie says, “I think the fact that we genuinely care about each other’s lives is important.”  Briannalys and Julie feel connected to one another beyond academic discussions, celebrating one another’s life events and sharing photos. Julie says, “I send pictures of my daughter’s cat, Princess Leia, and Briannalys sends me pictures of her guinea pigs. And I love to hear about her nephew when he visits her!” 

The support extends within Julie’s family as well. She shares how her daughter offered ideas for one of Briannalys’ college essays, and that her husband once rescued them from a technology glitch while they worked remotely on a school assignment.  The mentor-mentee relationship was enhanced when Julie was able to meet Briannalys’ family last summer at Stand & Deliver’s year-end celebration. 

Briannalys is currently in an exciting college application process. Julie continues to assist with her academic pursuits, including receiving input from her guidance counselor on how to best support the college application process. Briannalys plans to pursue studies in architecture and civil engineering, and she is well on her way! She has been accepted to Merrimack College and awaits good news from Cornell, Brown, UMass Lowell, Wellesley, and Wentworth!

 

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Over 200 Join Walk for Hope

Posted in Community, Donations, Events, Suicide Prevention and Postvention, Uncategorized on November 4th, 2021 with No Comments

We did it!  Together we raised over $20,000 to support Family Services’ Samaritans of the Merrimack Valley program.

We are so grateful for to the many individuals and organizations who supported and showed up to our 5th annual “Walk for Hope”.  The outpouring of support we received for this event far exceeded our expectations and shows that we are making progress to end the stigma around mental health and suicide.

With 200 walkers and 14 sponsors, the proceeds from the Walk will enable us to take on some important projects this coming year, including:

  • Developing a training program to help teachers, social workers, first responders, parents and others to recognize individuals who may be at risk;
  • Provide ongoing individual and group support to those who have lost a loved one to suicide;
  • facilitate a support group for people who have attempted suicide and survived; and
  • Expand our crisis help line to reach thousands more people in crisis.

Thank you again to our 2021 Walk for Hope sponsors and everyone who joined, donated, volunteered or supported in any way!

  

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A Note from our President

Posted in Uncategorized on November 4th, 2021 with No Comments

A message from our Board President about the power of Kindness…

As the President of Family Services of the Merrimack Valley, I am very proud of the impact the organization has on the lives of so many people in our community. The word that comes to mind when I think about Family Services and its impact on children and families in our community, is kindness.
 
I am writing now to share some highlights of how the power of kindness has been spread by Family Services this past year – a year in which people of all ages needed kindness more than ever!
 
This past year year, Family Services:
  • Supported 1,197 parents, guardians, and caregivers through the challenges of raising children in a world upended by remote schooling, food insecurity, and emotional stress.
  • Helped more than 650 young people become strong, confident adults through mentoring, leadership development, and individual support and guidance. 
  • Trained 656 professionals, volunteers and community members in suicide prevention, trauma response, relationship skills, and self-care.
Family Services was able to do all this with the support of people like YOU. With your continued support, they will do even more going forward!  
 
As you consider your charitable giving plans for year-end, we hope that you will choose to support this work with a tax-deductible gift to Family Services.
 
Thank you.
Gary Sidell
Board President
 
P.S. Monthly gifts are a convenient way to give and help Family Services sustain its positive impact throughout the year. Click here to learn more.
 
 
 
 

Stand & Deliver Kick Off

Posted in Mentoring, Uncategorized, Youth Development on November 4th, 2021 with No Comments

Family Services’ Stand & Deliver academic mentoring program kicked off its new school year program last month with 66 matches!  We are so pleased to partner with four companies (Raytheon, New Balance, Pfizer and Schneider Electric) and three schools (Lawrence Technical High School, Lawrence High School and the Bruce School), matching students with adult mentors who can help inspire academic achievement and professional success. 

Recently, mentors and students got together for some much needed in person time to meet one another, enjoy some pizza, play a few fun games, and make plans for their weekly virtual academic mentoring sessions for the rest of the school year.  We can’t wait to see how much these matches grow between now and May.

    

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