Dear Editor,
April is the month that we recognize the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. The Family Tree Nurturing Center has been in existence for the last 39 years. We started out as the Committee for the Prevention of Child abuse. Today we carry on the mission to help families and children and create a strong support network. Children today need support, love and a healthy environment to succeed in life. There are so many obstacles as children grow up, we help prepare parents to be their strength.
The Family Tree Nurturing Center with the help of the Exchange Clubs in Billings, and our many partners have been able to help parents. We offer our parenting classes along with home-visits to educate parents on parenting skills and offer support. Our Respite program, Monday through Friday, gives moms the needed break to get a breather and take some time for themselves. Parenting is no easy task.
Our licensed Childcare Center, with our partner Aware, offers families an excellent early childcare program. This is an environment for learning and is very family friendly. Thanks to the Mental Health Center we are able to offer child therapy twice a week for children needing services. Family Tree Nurturing Center offers these wrap-around services to help build strong families.
I bring up our services because these are what families in Billings need to provide the best care for their children. Today we work with many low-income families needing affordable childcare. Most of the people that we help are trying very hard to learn the parenting skills needed to have their children back in the home. We know it’s tough being a parent, but we are here to help! Helping build our community and build up our families.
Please join us on Thursday April 11, 2024, at 6pm, for our Pinwheel for Prevention Award Ceremony and Reception at the Family Tree Nurturing Center, located at 2520 5th Avenue South, to celebrate families and support our mission to prevent child abuse and neglect. We will recognize some of our supporters that financially help throughout the year or have volunteered with our center in some capacity! Join us. We will have tours of our center, a recognition ceremony, and hors d’oeuvres by the women from Passages.
We will be honoring Sue Peters; Frosty Erben; Paul and Dona Hagen; John and Meagan Heenan; and Arby’s Billings. Also, we will honor a past board chair, Mark Noennig, in memorial. We will be recognizing some of those who have been a big support at our Festival of Trees fundraiser.
Our evening is to push an awareness that children are the most important resource our community needs to protect. Come join us!!!
Thank you!
Bill Kennedy
Ex. Director of Family Tree Nurturing Center
