Program Spotlight: Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers AmeriCorps Program

Host Organization: Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers / SAFE Family Services Center

ANFRC AmeriCorps Program Staff: LaKesha Ross, Program Director; Jalynn Carter, Member Manager; Margaret Morton, Executive Director of SAFE; Robin Mackey, Executive Director of ANFRC

Counties Served: Talladega City, Sylacauga City, Talladega County, AL: Dothan City, Houston County, AL: Montgomery City, Montgomery County: Birmingham City, Jefferson County: Tuscaloosa City, Tuscaloosa County, AL: Clanton City, AL Chilton County: Selma City, Dallas County, AL:

AmeriCorps Description: The Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers is a support agency for Family Resource Centers throughout Alabama. The strength of the Family Resource Center approach is the evidence-based strategies that are woven together into the participants’ larger plan for success. Family Resource Centers are ready to work with participants to break down barriers to success. If a family is experiencing financial crisis, mental health challenges or substance abuse issues, these must be addressed in order for the family to take the next step of making and achieving long term plans, such as education goals. Family Resource Centers work with people along a continuum of points from crisis to goal achievement. ANFRC AmeriCorps implements AmeriCorps members to help our Family Resource Centers meet the needs of their communities assisting in these strategies.

Number of Members Serving: 25 half-time members

Member Responsibilities: ANFRC AmeriCorps members have the opportunity to be engaged in 4 different focus areas: Education, Economic Opportunities, Healthy Futures, and Community Outreach. Members that have a primary focus of Education facilitates tutoring and mentoring through afterschool programs. In the Economic Opportunity focus area, ANFRC members are engaged in Job readiness activities. Members with the primary focus of Healthy Futures are responsible for ANFRC local partners’ nutritional programs as well as youth physical fitness programs. Lastly, ANFRC members engaged in Community Outreach participate in the Help Me Grow program, connecting families to resources.

What the program hopes to accomplish at the end of the program year:

ANFRC AmeriCorps Program is determined to help its service communities thrive in areas of education, job readiness, health, and youth resiliency. At the end of the program year, ANFRC Corps members will be responsible for improving school performance, attendance and graduation rates for students in Talladega, Houston, Tuscaloosa, Chilton, Dallas and Montgomery counties through local Family Resource Centers. Members serving through our partner agency, The Alabama Partnership for Children, will be engaged in providing support to Regional Care Coordination teams to assist with care coordination, developmental screening, and outreach functions.