Zilber Family Foundation ’s Post

March 2020, at the very start and urgency of COVID-19 lockdowns, my two older siblings and I were granted guardianship of our then 5-year-old sister. We had been fighting for this for well over a year between getting ourselves established, finding the best lawyers to take our unique case, and convincing the courts of the severity of the situation. We could not have predicted that by the time we finally saved our sister, we would be stuck indoors with limited to no resources to help us and her in this traumatic time. Now, 4 1/2 years later, we are doing much better, but it took until our little sister was almost 8 to get adequate aid services. Waypoint is an incredible organization that has provided so much help to families across the state; as a whole, though, there is still much that needs to be done in the field of family social services, court reform, and child welfare in New Hampshire. Waypoint makes strides to change this dilemma and divide of need versus what the state budgets provide. The more people speak on this matter, the greater the chance of productive change for the social services field.

Access to safe, quality, affordable child care can't be ignored. The consistent lack of public investment as well as just a blatant disrespect towards the needs of children, women, working families, and vulnerable families must be addressed. This is an interesting brief on expanding access to the child care and development fund. Give it a read and let me know your thoughts on things like child care workforce development, equity, and a fairly supported workforce. https://lnkd.in/guMzkYNG

According to a 2019 Pew Research Center study, the United States had the highest rate of children living in single-parent households - 23%. Almost one quarter of US children live with only one parent. Does that shock you? It did us. Why is it that in one of the most affluent, advanced first world countries, we have the most children in single-parent homes? That’s a whole conversation in itself. At Live the Life we are working to lower that percentage. Our 3 strategic goals as an organization are to 1). Decrease the divorce rate, 2). Increase the marriage rate and 3). Decrease the teen pregnancy rate. We work towards these goals by offering quality, research-based relationship education programs for couples & teens. At True North we equip youth with the knowledge to make wise relationship choices, recognize red flags and know their self worth. At marriage programs such as Hope Weekend, we help couples former deeper bonds, communicate clearly and work through even the toughest obstacles in their relationship. If we can succeed in reaching each of our three strategic goals, more children will grow up in healthy two-parent homes. If you would like to support us in this mission, you can donate at our website! Just visit LiveTheLifeJax.org! #research #family #youthdevelopment

I really wanted to post this without commentary, but I must add a few things: 1. My friend David Daniels hits the nail on the head with this article. 2. Why is it "ok" to allow children to consistently enter school unprepared? Realize this is regardless of income status 3. It is unacceptable for educators in the early childhood education sector to be paid at the abysmal rates we see across the nation. These educators and workers are often women of color.....hmmm? 4. We, as a Nation, and as communities must come together to support children and families 5. Inaction on this issue is not only economically incorrect, but also morally indefensible 6. It will take leadership, coupled with the removal of egos and agendas to get this done 7. NOW is the time for the Lucas County community to galvanize and ensure our families are able to go to work, because they can afford high-quality and safe early education and childcare. #EducationMatters #ChildcareMatters #Equity #HOPEisReal #JoinUsOnTheJourney #CHOOSEwisely

The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is more than just financial support – it’s a family lifeline. Whether you’re welcoming a newborn, caring for a child with special needs, or juggling caregiving and work, the CTC offers the flexibility and stability you need. 🌱 Why should you care about the CTC? - It provides financial relief to cover the rising costs of raising children. - Offers income stability even when life events change your earnings. - Supports caregivers in balancing work and family responsibilities. - Helps families make choices that align with their values - Builds stronger families, which in turn strengthens society. Caring about the CTC means caring about families and the future we build together. 💪👨👩👧👦 #CTC #FamilySupport #ChildTaxCredit #StrongerFamilies #PolicyMatters #FinancialStability

🚀 **Exciting News!** 🚀 I am proud to announce the launch of Rolling With Dads, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering and celebrating fathers everywhere! When I began my fatherhood journey, I found myself in unfamiliar territory without the necessary resources, support, and community that would help me become a better father to my son. These challenges inspired the creation of Rolling With Dads. I established this nonprofit to have a significant impact on fathers so they never feel alone or unprepared to take on parenthood. Instead, they should feel empowered and capable of building strong child bonds, be exceptional caregivers, and have a community of dads to lean on when they need support the most. Created by dads, for dads, to enrich and strengthen the families in our communities. Our work aims to: -Support: Build a strong, understanding community for dads. -Educate: Provide expert-led workshops/clinics, and expert advice on parenting, health, and wellness. -Inspire: Share powerful stories from dads around the world. Visit our website, www.rollingwithdads.org to learn more about our mission and the programs we offer to support dads through their parenting journey. Join us in honoring the vital role of fathers. Your support can make a world of difference! If you'd like to partner or collaborate around any of our initiatives or events please reach out, we're actively looking for sponsors/partners that have shared brand values. #RollingWithDads #EmpowerDads #Fatherhood #Nonprofit #Community

As a single mother of four—two of whom have special needs—my days have been a relentless cycle of work and worry. I worked seven days a week, juggling multiple jobs to keep our heads above water. The exhaustion was profound, but I pushed through, driven by the love for my children and the desperate need to provide for them. My ex-partner, who barely wanted to be involved in their lives, made things even more difficult. He placed our children on a no-fly list, effectively preventing me from taking them anywhere or giving them the experiences that every child deserves. To add insult to injury, I quickly discovered that as a Kiwi living in Australia, I was not entitled to any payments or support. The isolation of being a single mother in a foreign land without a safety net was crushing. I felt like I was drowning, trying to navigate a system that was indifferent to my plight and that of my children. Every day was a struggle, not only to provide for their physical needs but to ensure they felt loved, secure, and valued despite the circumstances we faced. The child support system, meant to be a safety net for families like mine, has often felt more like a barrier. The reality is that my ex-partners have used child support as a weapon against me, hiding income and assets to avoid their responsibilities. The stress of dealing with late payments or, worse, no payments at all has been a constant source of anxiety, forcing me to make impossible choices about how to care for my children. Every late payment sends worry through our lives, affecting everything from groceries to medical care. The emotional toll is just as significant. I often battle guilt and frustration, questioning whether I’m doing enough for my kids. How do I explain to them that their father's choices directly impact their lives? How do I reassure them that they are cherished when I am fighting to secure their basic needs? This isn’t just my story; it’s the reality for countless single mothers across Australia who are facing similar battles. We are navigating a system that seems designed to hinder rather than help, one that often perpetuates financial abuse and leaves us feeling powerless. I stand with Single Mother Families Australia (SMFA) in the #FixChildSupport campaign. We need to advocate for a child support system that truly protects and supports families like mine. We deserve: - A system that prevents the weaponisation of child support, focusing on the well-being of our children. - Adequate financial support that reflects the actual costs of raising children, especially those with special needs. - A separation of child support from family payments to prioritise our children's welfare. - Streamlined processes for collecting owed child support, easing the burdens placed on mothers who are already struggling. - Stronger enforcement of child support debts at the state level to hold those responsible accountable. #FixChildSupport #SingleMothers #EndFinancialAbuse #SupportOurFamilies

💑 Today is National Siblings Day, a day set up to celebrate brothers and sisters and the bond between them. Here at Virtual Memory Box we are only too well aware of the importance of these bonds for children in care, with an estimated 37% of children with a sibling – 20,000 children – are separated from a sibling when placed in care. 📦 Working in partnership with Local Authorities, we have ongoing conversations and feedback about Virtual Memory Box, and the issues of siblings in care was one raised as a priority. So, we’ve now developed a feature that lets siblings grant permission to view each other’s memories, to help bridge the gap while they’re apart. This will help keep that bond and relationship strong while the siblings are apart, and help take part in celebrating their siblings, which could be by: 📸 Looking at shared photographs 🎤 Recording a message to your sibling 💬 Telling others about memories you share with your sibling. Wherever they are, we hope you can celebrate your sibling relationships today. https://lnkd.in/erGBf5Uh #Nationalsiblingday #childrenincare #socialcare

Child care should be funded by federal and local governments as a public good, the same way we collectively fund public schools, roads, libraries, parks and bridges. Our current child care system is broken, and each day without action means we all - but especially young children and families - are paying a steep price. It’s time for stakeholders across businesses, philanthropy, government and education to come together with urgency to drive solutions and build a solid child care infrastructure. Some ideas on how to get started in my latest Fast Company piece.

Babyzone is participating in a match-funding campaign with The Big Give; we have a very short window to raise funds which will be match funded and doubled. Our early childhoods, the time from pregnancy to five, fundamentally shape our whole lives. Strong evidence suggests that the first 1000 days in a child’s life offers the greatest potential impact in both improving outcomes and reducing inequalities. 39% of children in London live in poverty. We know that poor children grow up with poorer life chances. Currently, we are £3.5k away from reaching our target of £50k, which will unlock a further £50k of matched funding. We need to close this gap in the next 6 days - could you please consider supporting us? Babyzone is working hard and pioneering in early years to give more children in the UK a fairer start in life. We have already opened Babyzones in FIVE locations - there are a great many more families who need our help and support. What happens at a Babyzone? We are focused on helping families who fall in the bottom two deciles of society. In each location we see over 300 children per day. We offer over 30 FREE classes per location per day – to help parents and children to bond and grow together, to support parents to be the best parents they can be, to stimulate and engage young minds, to build healthy habits, to support parents and carers in their communities. Parents can participate in activities and classes with their children as well as access a wide range of help and support – for example around breastfeeding, nutrition, oral hygiene, healthy lifestyles, and a whole host of other support and help. We provide a valuable physical Hub for local services to reach families in need. Please could you consider donating or possibly share this with your network to help us reach our target? We would so appreciate your support! Link to donation page: https://lnkd.in/eKz9EJaM Link to 2-minute video: https://lnkd.in/eVpWSSts