In This Issue

• News from Children's Futures
  • Nearly 150 Residents Celebrate at CF's East Ward Family Success/Parent Child Center Community Night
  • Expanded CF Locations and Programs to Help Children and Families Soar in 2008
  • January Center-Based Programs for Expectant Parents, Parents and Children
• Links to News Articles
  • New Jersey Makes HIV Testing Routine for Pregnant Women and Newborns
  • Fetal Ailment, Adult Disability
  • No Insurance, Poor Health
• Community Activities
  • Arts and Culture Family Day to Focus on Anti-Violence
  • Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Meetings Set for Agencies and Consumers
  • Fair for Parents to Learn about Abbott Pre-Schools and Community Resources

News from Children's Futures

Nearly 150 Residents Celebrate at CF's East Ward Family Success/Parent Child Center Community Night

Children's Futures' East Ward family success/parent child center is known for drawing large crowds to its monthly community events at St. Francis Medical Center. On December 20th, nearly 150 residents joined the center staff to celebrate Christmas and hear about the center's upcoming programs for 2008. During the East Ward Center Community Night, children received a portion of the toys and books that were collected during Children's Futures' Seventh Annual Toy and Book Drive Party on December 14th and distributed citywide. The center also received a generous donation of toys from the Firmenich Company.

Santa (Gerry Dougherty) distributes toys to one of the many
families attending the CF East Ward family success/parent
child center's December Community Night/Christmas party.

According to East Ward family success/parent child center director Lenore Scott, "Based on the success of our monthly community night programs, we will be adding an additional community night each month in 2008 to enrich the understanding of our residents about resources they can access through the Children's Futures' initiative."

Expanded CF Locations and Programs to Help Children and Families Soar in 2008

During 2008, the Children's Futures' community partnership will offer expanded locations and programs to reach more children and families throughout Trenton. Below is a preview of some of the enhancements Trenton residents will find in the months ahead:

A new El Centro/Catholic Charities' office (327 South Broad Street) will complement the South Ward family success/parent child center (342 Home Avenue) by offering programs in such areas as play therapy and anger management as well as sessions to strengthen relationships in marriages. Plans are being readied to start van transportation between these locations.

CF's East Ward family success/parent child center (at St. Francis Medical Center's Crean Hall on 601 Hamilton Avenue) plans to begin a weekly family health clinic on Fridays, offer a 12-week series on "What to do When a Child gets Sick" and expand its community night from once-a-month to twice-a-month (see story above). The center's recent move to an expanded facility on the fourth floor of Crean Hall will be celebrated at an open house/dedication ceremony that will be announced shortly.

In the West Ward, Mercer Street Friends will provide new programs in multiple locations in addition to those offered in the existing family success/parent child center at 1100 West State Street. Residents will find access to resources focused on work readiness, a "Friends Kitchen: Healthy Nutrition on a Budget" series and women's health workshops.

Jointly funded by Children's Futures and the Department of Children and Families' initiative to create support centers for families, Children's Home Society will provide all of the core services of family success centers in the North Ward (1554 Princeton Avenue) and at a new center in the South Ward (635 South Clinton Avenue). These centers will offer such services as individualized family success plans, life skills and career training, parent education programs, enhanced mental health services (for children from birth through 6 and their families) and extensive multi-cultural health and social service programs (e.g., for Latino pregnant and parenting moms and dads through the CUNA program). A community celebration to welcome this new location will be announced through the media and this newsletter.

New sessions at CF's centers are being planned in the areas of domestic violence awareness (by WomanSpace), HIV awareness (by the Nurse Family Partnership), and behavioral health counseling (by Greater Trenton Behavioral HealthCare). Through UIH Family Partners, Children's Futures' fatherhood program will offer a new "Daddy Read to Me" series at the centers. The father center at 4 North Board Street will continue to provide dads with programs on parenting, anger management, financial literacy, healthcare and job training. Another Children's Futures' partner, Child Care Connection, will provide training and support at the centers for staff and families.

Watch for newspaper, radio, television, email, and website announcements in the weeks ahead as these programs and additional enhancements begin to roll out. For more information, please contact Bill Rovner.

January Center-Based Programs for Expectant Parents, Parents and Children

Expectant parents and parent of newborns and toddlers have opportunities to enhance their parenting knowledge and skills by attending programs at Children's Futures' family success/parent child centers and father center. Each month, Children's Futures offers free workshops to improve literacy, promote nutrition, build children's musical awareness and encourage parent/child bonding. The January 2008 Program Calendar is attached above in English and in Spanish. If you have difficulty opening the document or have questions about center-based programs, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Links to News Articles

New Jersey Makes HIV Testing Routine for Pregnant Women and Newborns
The Canadian Press reports on this landmark law for New Jersey that takes effect in six months.

Fetal Ailment, Adult Disability
The McClatchy Newspaper Syndicate describes how infants affected by their mothers' drinking show symptoms long after childhood.

UW Autism Study to Treat Infants Without Symptoms
The University of Washington has launched one of the nation's first studies on preventing autism in infants, according to this article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

No Insurance, Poor Health
This New York Times editorial cites two recent studies in its call for health coverage for all Americans.

Community Activities

January 2008

Saturday, January 5:

Trenton Spirit Walk-2008 Mall Walk: free; 8:30 to 10 a.m.; Quaker Bridge Mall-Route 1 in Mercerville; featuring light refreshments and blood pressure screenings. Meet at the food court entrance. For more information, please call 341-4758.

Arts and Culture Family Day to Focus on Anti-Violence: free/donation requested; 12 noon to 9 p.m.; Medical Arts High School-50 North Clinton Avenue; featuring Mayor Douglas Palmer and Dr. Benjamin Chavis. For more information, please contact Mustapha Muhammad at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Thursday, January 10:

Trenton Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition: 9 a.m.; Thomas Edison State College's Prudence Hall at 101 West State Street in Trenton. For more information, please contact Brenda Tift at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 394-7454.

Monday, January 14:

Trenton Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Consumer Coalition: 5 to 6:30 p.m.; refreshments provided; Princeton Deliverance Center, 301 Southard Street in Trenton. For more information, please contact Brenda Tift at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 394-7454

Community Meeting to Discuss Safety Issues, Immigrant Needs, Tenant Rights, etc.: 6 to 8 p.m.; free buffet dinner provided; Washington Elementary School, 331 Emory Avenue in Trenton. For more information, please call 1-877-452-5333.

Wednesday, January 16:

Trenton Early Childhood Advisory Council Meeting: 9 a.m.; Trenton Board of Education, Ellis Auditorium, 108 N. Clinton Avenue. For more information, please call the Office of Early Childhood at 656-4900 ext. 5709 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

February 2008

Saturday, February 9 and Sunday February 10:

PrimeTime Shootout High School Basketball Tournament: Day and Evening Games; Sovereign Bank Arena. For more information, please email Jeff Hewitson at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Tuesday, February 12:

Pre-Kindergarten Fair for parents to learn about the Abbott Preschool Programs and community programs for families: free; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Trenton Board of Education, Ellis Auditorium, 108 N. Clinton Avenue. Community organizations are encouraged to secure a table to provide information about their services for families. For more information, please call the Office of Early Childhood at 656-4900 ext. 5709 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Tuesday, February 19:

Start of Centralized Preschool Registration and NJ Family Care Sign-Ups for all three and four year olds: free; beginning at 8:30 a.m., Trenton Board of Education, 108 N. Clinton Avenue. For more information, please call the Office of Early Childhood at 656 4900 ext. 5709 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Trenton parents wishing to make a registration appointment for children who turn three or four by September 30th 2008 should call 656-4900 ext. 5667.