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Introduction Partnerships for Children (PFC) was established as a 501(c)3 in August 2003 to help bridge the gap between limited government resources and critical needs of Austin area children served by Child Protective Services (CPS). PFC operates programs designed to help CPS caseworkers provide resources and support to families and children they serve. Before Partnerships for Children, caseworkers relied on their own personal resources or spent hours of time searching for resources to meet the needs of the children they served. Now with programs like the Rainbow Room, YES Mentor, and Holiday Wishes, caseworkers have immediate access to emergency items and basic necessities. We hope to enhance and grow our programs to best fit the needs of the ever growing population of abused and neglected children and teens.
Mission and Vision Mission Partnerships for Children provides critical resources to abused and neglected children in our community who are in the care of Child Protective Services. Vision We envision a community in which all the needs of abused and neglected children are met.
PFC Strategic Plan Overview Our Mission Provides critical resources to abused and neglected children in our community who are in the care of Child Protective Services Our Work, Services and Programs Rainbow Room • Special Requests • Caseworker Appreciation YES Mentor Program Holiday Wishes Our Vision We envision a community in which all the needs of abused and neglected children are met Goals Position ourselves as the best option to support CPS and DFPS Build relationships and collaborate with key stakeholders Continue to provide high quality programs that meet the needs of children in the care of CPS Empower the Board and Staff to most effectively represent the organization Increase external visibility Ensure sustainability Our Core Values Collaboration Impact Support Empowerment Community Compassion
Rainbow Room Primary Program Focus: The Rainbow Room is a resource center located within CPS headquarters and distributes new essential items such as clothing, formula, diapers, food and hygiene supplies to clients of CPS caseworkers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Due to the caseworker’s increasing caseloads and the large geographic area served, a second CPS complex opened in South Austin in 2008. To serve more children, PFC has a second Rainbow Room in this location. Additional Services Offered: Ready Bags, Safe Sleeping Program, Back to School Backpacks, Easter Baskets, Thanksgiving Meals Plans for 2013 – 2015: Growth plans for program: Building retail relationships, Rainbow Room drives, ongoing caseworker training presentations and brochure to hand out. Continue to partner with agencies that serve the same population to best utilize our resources.
Special Requests Primary Program Focus: The Special Request program is a project that provides larger items that are not generally stocked in the Rainbow Room. These request include a wide range of items such as twin beds, medications or equipment so that a child may participate in sports. Additional Services Offered: Household items for ‘graduating’ drug court clients to assist them in setting up a home Plans for 2013 - 2015 Discuss additional resources needed for the program: strategically solicit grants and partnerships to fund special requests so that we can increase the budget and number of children served. Discuss new collaborations/partnerships: PFC will increase caseworker awareness of this project and associated guidelines. PFC will also maintain and grow partnerships with other organizations that also provide special request type services.
Caseworker Appreciation Primary Program Focus: Staff turnover continues to be a significant problem for CPS caseworkers. Caseworker Appreciation events are one means by which PFC shows their gratitude for the caseworkers’ hard work in our combined efforts to help foster youth. Caseworker Appreciation activities also provide for increased visibility and education of the caseworkers regarding PFC and its programs and projects. Additional Services Offered: Quarterly caseworker appreciation event, Monthly caseworker e-newsletter providing information on new items to look for in the Rainbow Room, any events coming up, caseworker of the month etc., gift certificates for supervisors to use for recognition. Plan for 2013 - 2015 Discuss growth plans for program: we will continue to modify and grow it annually as necessary. Discuss additional resources needed for program: PFC will build relationships with retailers and vendors to provide services, events and giveaways for caseworkers.
Youth Empowerment & Success Primary Program Focus: Youth Empowerment & Success (YES) was started to support the CPS program, Preparation for Adult Living (PAL). PAL was implemented in 1986 to ensure older youth in substitute care are prepared for their inevitable departure from Texas Department of Family and Protective Services’ care and support. At any given time, there are about 3,500 youth 16 years of age and older in substitute care in Central Texas. Through our partnership with PAL, YES services programs aimed at improving youths' self esteem and improving their ability to make responsible decisions through training, mentoring and financial support. These programs strive to provide each youth with skills and resources they will need to be healthy productive adults Additional Services Offered: Mentor Program, FEAD financial literacy, Teen Conferences Plan for 2013 - 2015: PFC will strengthen relationship with CPS units that work directly with the PAL population and those working with children aging out of foster care; PFC will target funding possibilities to grow the YES program to serve more teens (secure a 2 year minimum funding commitment to replace the Impact Austin grant)
Holiday Wishes Primary Program Focus: Our Holiday Wishes program provides gifts to children in the care of CPS who might otherwise not experience the joy of the holiday season and opening presents. We work with local companies, churches, nonprofits and individuals to provide these children with gifts from their individual wish lists. Each year we provide gifts for over 3,700 children and this number just keeps growing. Additional Services Offered: For those children that might have entered the CPS system after wish lists were submitted or for other reasons a child may not have a gift, gifts are also provided through a stock of ‘general gifts’. The ‘general gifts’ room is open 24/7 to ensure all kids have a present to open for the holidays. Plan for 2013 - 2015: PFC will increase the participation of caseworkers thus increasing the number of wish lists submitted. PFC will continue to build relationships with other service organizations to build our pool of volunteers. PFC will also continue to build relationships with vendors to increase in kind donations. Define what counties and what CPS units will participate each year.
PFC Strategic Plan The Details
2013 Strategic Plan Goals • 1. Position ourselves as the best option to support CPS and DFPS • -Speaks to our relationships with CPS caseworkers with an increased focus on DFPS administration and their utilization of our programs • 2. Build relationships and collaborate with key stakeholders. • -Speaks to our position as a key thought leader in the area of abused and neglected children while focusing on collaboration with other non profits, community partners and other related organizations • 3. Continue to provide high quality programs that meet the needs of children in the care of CPS. • Speaks to maintaining high quality programs and assessing ever changing needs • 4. Empower the Board and Staff to most effectively represent the organization • Speaks to board and staff education and development • 5. Increase external visibility • Speaks to public outreach, social media, marketing and awareness • 6. Ensure sustainability • -Speaks to development, financial management, internal operations and volunteer cultivation
Goal 1 Metrics: Position ourselves as the best option to support CPS and DFPS
Goal 2 Metrics:Build relationships and collaborate with key stakeholders
Goal 3 Metrics:Continue to provide high quality programs that meet the needs of the children in the care of CPS
Goal 5 Metrics:Empower the board and staff to most effectively represent the organization
Update Strategic Plan The Partnerships for Children board and staff commit to conducting a new 3 year strategic plan in Spring, 2016.
