Patricia Leeds Photography

Every Family Matters

Low-income families today usually cope with many difficult issues, so it's unusual for Brighter Beginnings’ clients – whether individuals or whole families – to have a single, specific need for services. Low education levels and employment challenges may result in homelessness. Having a baby while still a developing teenager brings many stresses, and young girls rarely have a clear understanding of effective parenting techniques. Drug and alcohol abuse sometimes complicate problems, and poverty has a major impact on additional problems the family is facing.

Understanding Our Communities
The way we work in Alameda and Contra Costa County neighborhoods is through getting to know the residents and the challenges they face. Some of our most successful programs call upon community members to serve as outreach workers, helping us identify those in need and inviting their neighbors to discover how we can assist them. We seek to build relationships among the individuals and families that we serve, recognizing that the support of one's peers is essential to building a healthy community.

Connecting Through Our Family Advocates
Brighter Beginnings’ ongoing in-home family case management approach helps us discover and define each family’s challenges and provides a realistic starting point for delivering a host of services. Family Advocates develop close, trusting relationships with individuals and families, and because they're aware of each person's "big picture needs," Family Advocates are in an ideal position to partner with families to set goals, and to coordinate all the services a family needs. They work with families to create comprehensive solutions, often calling on other Brighter Beginnings staff members for assistance. They connect the individual and family with other agencies that provide services such as housing, employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, and transportation.

Caring for the Entire Family
As new family needs arise, our Family Advocates adapt services to meet the changing conditions. Individuals and families are not asked to solve new problems by themselves; their Family Advocates continue to partner with them as advocates and friends, helping cut red tape and making sure individuals and families have access to the most appropriate services.

We know that to protect the health and well-being of children, we must care for the entire family-from partners to brothers and sisters to grandparents. Under the guidance of the Family Advocate, we surround the extended family with a compassionate circle of care.