Brighter Futures Initiative

The Brighter Futures Initiative at the Hartford Foundation is designed to make significant long-term improvements in the lives of Hartford’s young children and their families.  Launched in 1990, this 20-year, at-least $25 million effort targets four critical areas: child care and early childhood education, family support and parent education, health care, and the early grades of school.
 
One activity in particular during 2008 moved the goal of Brighter Futures forward in a significant way: A three-year project was begun that offers a significant enhancement in family support and parent education services for Hartford families.

Over the years, the Brighter Futures Family Centers have demonstrated the significant benefits of neighborhood-based family support and parent education programs.  A status report of Brighter Futures in 2006 by UCLA recommended the development of one comprehensive, state-of-the-art Family Center to serve as a neighborhood-based early childhood hub.

In 2008, the Southside Family Center began its expansion with a $600,000 grant plus guidance from the Foundation.

“Many families seek services for their children from a fragmented service system that requires them to travel to multiple locations, meet with multiple service providers, and tell their story over and over again,” said Richard Sussman, director of Brighter Futures.  “An early childhood hub right in their neighborhood has the potential to meet a family’s needs in a streamlined, effective manner.”

Programming at Brighter Futures Family Centers focuses on building skills in parents and their children, with the goal of improving the school readiness and school success of the children.  In addition to early childhood education, parent advocacy and leadership, adult education and parent education and support, Southside is adding programs to address physical health and wellness, mental health, and basic human needs.

The value of Family Centers is reflected in the many stories of the children and parents who benefit from their services.  One young mother of three arrived at Southside seeking child care for her son.  She was able to enroll him in the center’s school readiness program, and soon learned about the other programs offered by the center.  She was helped by a home-visiting service and also a literacy program that fosters interaction between parents and children to build reading skills.

As this young mother participated in these programs, she learned new parenting strategies, which enabled her to cope with the stresses of parenting and helped her to really enjoy parenting.  Through the center, she also connected with other parents and community agencies to get assistance with managing a family.  As her support system grew, so did her confidence – so much that she decided to pursue her long-term wish to attend college.  She is currently attending Capitol Community College.

The following organizations received grants or payments throught the Brighter Futures Initiative in 2008:

Early Childhood Education and Training
Capitol Region Education Council
Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut, Inc.
Hartford Area Child Care Collaborative
Hartford Public Library
Mount Olive Child Development Center, Inc.
Our Piece of the Pie
The Salvation Army of Greater Hartford
Women's League Child Development Center
YWCA of the Hartford Region, Inc.

Family Support and Parent Education
Catholic Charities, Inc.
Children's Trust Fund
Family Life Education, Inc.
Mayor's Office for Young Children - City of Hartford
Trust House, Inc.
The Village for Families & Children, Inc.

Health
Connecticut Children's Medical Center Foundation, Inc.
Connecticut Voices for Children

Public Information and Education
Connecticut Commission on Children