FamilyCenter Services
The FamilyCenter Services listed below are for veterans and their families as a supplement to existing services. The VRC FamilyCenter helps military families before, during and after deployments…each day.
Services now available:
Family Appreciation Events: Periodic events designed to show families their value by providing unique experiences, benefits and other positive outcomes for deployed families. Goal of these activities is to “pay back” families and children (in particular) for their sacrifices.
- Support Services Network: direct families to resources such as childcare, legal and handy helper;
- Financial Counseling: Assistance and counseling for families experiencing financial hardships during deployment via Commerce Bank.
- Childcare: Connecting families to reliable or lower cost child care providers via ParentWorks.
- Handy Helper Day: Responding to needs created by absence of a spouse for extended deployment. Spouse prepares a list of “honey do” items in advance and coordinated with a support team. Team is organized, arrives on pre-arranged day and completes tasks. Option of childcare for spouse to allow him/her to take the day and do relaxing activity while work is done.
Legal Service Support: Assistance and counseling for families requiring legal support in lieu of, or to supplement services provided by military.
Emergency Support Fund: Assistance is available to military members of all uniformed services and their families. Financial assistance is provided for necessities: food, shelter, and essential transportation. Call (717) 770-7737 and ask for the Emergency Relief Officer.
- Family Support Quarterly Seminars: Provide speakers and discussions focused on challenges of deployment and return. Brings together concerned families for networking, sharing “lessons learned”, mutual support and raising awareness about new programs.
Services available in October 2006:
Trusted Commercial Partners: Businesses that provide key services partner with VRC to provide services for military families with a member deployed. Provides a positive connection between families and service providers.
Military-Friendly Business Directory/Military Mondays: Ask local merchants to participate by giving military families a discount.
Adopt a Family: Commercial and non-governmental organizations adopt a family or families and provide support and assistance to the family during the deployment. Gives business/organization ownership of the effort within specified guidelines (TBD).
- Peer-to-Peer (PTP) Facilitator Program: Selected individuals serve as PTP Facilitators available to assist families and veterans as-needed. Facilitators serve as a personal point of contact and practice a confidential "listen and refer" approach that can put families and veterans in touch with the appropriate service provider or program to help. PTP Facilitators will provide a trained, experienced resource who can relate to the challenges facing families and veterans.
Frank Piacine at families@veteransresourcecentral.org