Family Initiatives
Fighting Back Partnership has three Family Resource Centers in Vallejo, which are uniquely located in neighborhoods to serve families with children 0-18. The goal of the FRC's are to offer local family support linkage and service to families in their own neighborhood by promoting healthy families in healthy communities. This approach is based on the community organizing idea that local residents can shape their own environments when help with training and support. Through community organizing we build on the strengths of the individuals, families, providers thereby building a community group focused on improving the quality of life for all. The project aims to improve outcomes for both families and communities. Each FRC brings together services and activities that educate, develop skills and promote moving in new directions for families. Our efforts will hopefully increase Vallejo families' capacity to be healthy, involved members of this community.
Each FRC has its own unique culture and focus; however each Center offers basic services which are specialized to Solano County FRC's. The basic services are:
- Home visitation - a home visitor working with Solano County Child Protective Services, Public Health Nursing, Youth and Family Services, and Child Haven offer in home information, referral, and follow up for families who need extra support and otherwise do not have access to transportation.
- Opportunities for Volunteering - each FRC offers the opportunity for parents to become involved in the community through working with other families, serving as advisors to improve the FRC operations, or becoming advocates in the community and working on local issues empowering families; groups such as the Vallejo Basic Needs Collaborative are made up of local parent representatives and/or providers.
- Parenting Education and Support - all FRC's offer parenting support or education classes for parents who want more education and support with child-rearing, we also offer child development resources and materials for all parents and child care providers demonstrating the importance of understanding the child development process.
- Community Involvement - Each FRC offers opportunities and events to bring local providers and parents together for education, celebration and family fun activities. All FRC's also work closely with the Neighborhood Revitalization efforts through the Vallejo Core-team. Each FRC has an AmeriCorps worker on site working to organize and coordinate events and collaborative services.
- Information, Referrals and Linkage to local services - All FRC's have a on-site I&R specialist available to assist through walk-in, phone call, or appointment parents who may be in need of health, food, shelter, clothing, parenting support, education, job seeking and training, as well as any assistance needing to strengthen their family. Each client is screened, assessed, and given a plan of action referral. Families with more than one need are followed on a Family Development Matrix, which measures the family's movement toward stability. Each FRC uses the yearly published resource manual which is edited by FRC staff.
Fighting Back Partnership currently maintains three Family Resource Centers in Vallejo:
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The Greater Vallejo Family Resource Center, located in FBP's main office on the third floor of the JFK library serves families with children 0-18 residing in central and south Vallejo. Established in 1999 services offered are information and referrals for family through basic needs, home visitation, child development education and outreach, parent education, advocacy, and community organizing.
505 Santa Clara St. 3rd Floor
Vallejo, CA 94590
Phone: (707) 648-5230
Fax: (707) 648-5212 -
The Sereno Village Family Resource Center, a partnership between Fighting Back Partnership, Citizen's Housing Corporation, and Vallejo City Unified School District; this FRC established in 2004 is located on the grounds of a 125 unit affordable housing complex. This FRC is within the two-mile radius of the Loma Vista Elementary School Readiness Catchment area, Cooper Elementary School and serves families with children 0-18 in the housing complex and surrounding area of north Vallejo from Highway 37 to Redwood. Services offered are information and referrals for family and basic needs, home visitation, child development education and outreach, parent education and advocacy, and community organizing; with additional services on site such as the VCUSD child development center. Additional services that are offered are monthly budgeting classes, child/youth programs, and family-fun night. The Sereno Village FRC also assists families with their taxes during tax season through the EITC program (Earn Income Tax Credit) in collaboration with United Way. The focus of this FRC is to help families in this area begin to become more self-sufficient and move toward stability.
750 Sereno Drive
Vallejo, CA 94589
Phone: (707) 642-6942
Fax: (707) 642-6949 -
The North Vallejo Family Resource Center, a partnership between FBP and Vallejo City Unified School District; this FRC is conveniently located on the VCUSD Loma Vista Elementary School room 43. This FRC offers information and referral, home visitation, and family case management, Neighborhood Outreach, and Parent Advocacy training to families residing in this North Vallejo School Readiness catchments area.
146 Rainier Ave. Room 43
Vallejo, CA 94589
Phone: (707) 553-7345
Fax (707) 553-7347-
Loma Vista School Readiness, in collaboration with Vallejo City Unified School District, this program provides services that support parents in preparing their young children to enter school healthy, ready to learn and able to reach their highest potential. The program is designed to improve the transition from early care settings to elementary school. The program also increases the parents, schools and community ability to promote the success of young children. The school readiness program encourages and engages parents / families to be their children's first and best teacher.
146 Rainier Ave. Room 26
Vallejo, CA 94589
Phone: (707) 556-8921 ex. 58045 - Elsa Widenmann, in collaboration with Vallejo City Unified School District and other partners, this project provides family support & health services attending Elsa Widenmann Elementary School and surrounding area.
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Loma Vista School Readiness, in collaboration with Vallejo City Unified School District, this program provides services that support parents in preparing their young children to enter school healthy, ready to learn and able to reach their highest potential. The program is designed to improve the transition from early care settings to elementary school. The program also increases the parents, schools and community ability to promote the success of young children. The school readiness program encourages and engages parents / families to be their children's first and best teacher.