Press Room — Page 3

Narro brings Strengthening Families classes to county

Caldwell’s Holly Suehs Narro is the new Burleson County program
coordinator for Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley (SFBV).
SFBV is a project within the Family and Community Health unit of Texas
A&M AgriLife Extension and the program is funded through the Department
of Health and Human Services, Office of Family Assistance.

SFBV offers three workshops and classsies throughout the year, including a one-day marriage/relationship(PREP) workshop, an eight-week parenting series (one evening a week for eight weeks) and an eight-week family financial management series(one evening a week for eight weeks).

PREP is a marriage and relationship education workshop that teaches
couples how to communicate effectively, work as a team to solve problems,
manage confl icts and preserve and enhance commitment and friendship. It also teaches single individuals about positive relationship skills.

The first PREP workshop was on Oct. 15, andNarro said it was extremely
successful. The participants had positive feedback and were most appreciative
that the program was offered close to home in Caldwell, Narro said.

The parenting program is a family skills training program that covers effective discipline techniques, managing stress, how to improve family communication
and problem-solving. It is designed to improve relationships between parents and children. The parenting series will begin on Monday, Nov. 7. This class is already full. However, the next class series will be in the spring, and registration
has already begun.

The family financial management program Wi$eUp promotes financial security through education and skills training, and covers topics such as money math, how to track spending and setting financial goals, learn about credit, saving, and investing and how to plan for retirement. The family financial management series will begin in January 2017, and registration has begun.

Narro said that SFBV in Burleson County hopes to become a highly respected program to help individuals, couples and families achieve their goals in maintaining a healthy family and to provide them with the tools to do so.

Narro said, “These classes and workshops are not just for families in crisis situations. They are for anyone, parents and families, to gain knowledge and
learn useful tools to help them in their personal relationships and with
their children.” “I learn something new each time I teach a class or workshop,” Narro said. Narro said that the community’s response to the program has been
incredible.

Narro said she is grateful for “the positive feedback and overwhelmingly positive response to the Strengthening Families Program in Burleson County. This program is going to grow and do great things for the families in Burleson County because of the tremendous support.”

Narro is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in health. Narro has worked for many years as a health
and community educator for St. Joseph Regional Health Center and most
recently worked for the Burleson County Extension Office.

Narro is excited to implement SFBV in her home area of Burleson County. She has strong ties to Burleson County and has lived in Caldwell her entire life, and her family has lived here for many generations. Narro said she truly cares about the communities in Burleson County and the families who live within the county, and she looks forward to serving them.

Preregistration is required to attend any workshops and class series.
All classes are free, and include a meal and free childcare. Classes are held at various locations around Burleson County. For more information about SFBV or to register for upcoming workshops and classes, visit: families.tamu.edu or contact Narro at (979) 567-2312 or email Holly.Narro@ag.tamu.edu

AgriLife program offers resources for area families

By Rebecca Fiedler rebecca.fiedler@theeagle.com | 0 comments

A new program launched by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension will offer local families free marriage and parenting resources.

The program, known as Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley, will provide informational workshops and courses.

The program is staffed by 10 professionals, many of whom are former social workers. It caters to anyone over 18 in Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Madison and Robertson counties. SFBV was established this year by a grant from Texas Health and Human Services and offers guidance on marriage and relationships, successful parenting, finance and money management and adverse childhood experiences.

“Our workshops are normally eight hours long, free of charge, and we provide a free lunch and child care,” said Joe McGinty, marketing coordinator for the program.

The “healthy relationships” portion of the program, known as Prevention and Relationship Enhancement, focuses on marriage and relationships and provides effective ways for couples to communicate and solve problems when conflicts arise. The parenting portion, known as the Strengthening Families Program, focuses on discipline tactics and stress management. With family financial management, or Wi$eUp, families can learn financial awareness and money math, gaining an understanding of credit and budgeting, as well as retirement planning. Adverse Childhood Experiences guides parents with children or teens who have gone through a traumatic incident such as sexual assault, divorce, neglect or death of a loved one.

McGinty clarified the program is not a form of one-on-one counseling, but rather an educational resource, although SFBV coordinators partner with various organizations and nonprofits in the area and are able to make recommendations for those in need of help.

“We are trying to phase and address people’s problems before they occur, and provide resources for those people to maintain that,” McGinty said.

Workshops and classes take place across the counties SFBV caters to. Representatives often can be found at health fairs and back-to-school events. Some workshops already have taken place in Burleson and Madison counties since the start of the summer, with more events planned for Brazos County and other areas in the near future.

McGinty explained that when AgriLife first initiated the program, a major goal was to serve the public with dignity. While resources already exist for families going through struggles, many people don’t want to be labeled as low-income, in need, troubled or identified based on a particular issue such as drug abuse.

“You can never have enough preventative counseling and drug prevention programs,” McGinty said. “But there is a need for this type of thing without a stigma attached.”

SFBV is offered free for families in any financial situation who are looking for guidance, McGinty explained. The program also partners with numerous local churches, school districts, health centers, treatment centers and nonprofits that can provide additional resources for participants.

To learn more about upcoming events or tools offered through SFBV, visit families.tamu.edu or call Laurie Naumann at 979-862-1915. McGinty noted that those interested should be aware that the PREP marriage workshop scheduled for Saturday in Bryan has been canceled.

SFBV kicks-off classes in Caldwell and Madisonville

Strengthen Families of the Brazos Valley hosted “Marriage and Relationship” workshops in Madisonville and Burleson counties on Saturday. The nearly eight-hour course was offered to couples and individuals who are married or in cohabiting relationships seeking to strengthen those relationships. The course offered a lifetime of practical ideas and tools to help keep relationships strong and healthy. This was the first ever workshop taught by the SFBV’s program coordinators.

Holly Narro, Program Coordinator for Burleson County said, “The adults who were in attendance were enthusiastic and actively participated in the individual as well as group activities. The participants had positive feedback and were most appreciative that the program was offered close to home in Burleson County. They especially found the Speaker Listener Technique and Communication tools to be helpful.”

SFBV is a new project within the Family and Community Health unit of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. The project will seek to provide couples and individuals with the tools and resources they need to create and maintain healthy families.

Courses are free and will also be offered in Brazos, Grimes and Robertson counties.

SFBV hosts Town Hall Meeting

COLLEGE STATION—Residents and community leadership came together on Thursday, September 15 at the Christ United Methodist Church to hear from a panel of local authorities, drug addiction professionals, prevention programs and Texas A&M University’s student government about the growing drug usage and abuse trend in the Twin Cities.

A crowd of about 45 people attended the nearly two-hour presentation, and those in attendance included teenagers, senior citizens, school administrators, officers of the law enforcement and elected officials.

A question was asked from the audience about what the most important thing parents should know about the increasing drug abuse trend.

“Just observation, recognizing it in your own family,” said Bobbi Brooks, Program Manager of the Watch UR BAC project. “There are resources
out there that are available for people you think may have, or have an addiction.”

The program was sponsored by Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley.

SFBV participates in Meet the Teacher Night

MADISONVILLE—Most of Madisonville ISD youngsters got to meet their teachers Thursday evening in preparation for the start of a new school year.

Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley staff also participated in “Meet the Teacher” night! SFBV’s program coordinators introduced their new project to parents and handed out backpacks to students.

SFBV’s classes will start in October and will provide parents, couples and individuals with the tools they need to create and maintain healthy families. The project will also serve Burleson, Brazos, Grimes and Robertson Counties.

SFBV is a project within the Family and Community Health unit of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and funded by the Unites States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

Rain outside, Sunshine inside as Kids get school supplies

NAVASOTA—The threat of inclement weather did not stop kids and families from participating in Grimes County’s Back-to-school Health and Safety Day on Tuesday afternoon.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley and Chi St. Joseph Health made sure that children of Grimes County have a great start to the new school year with many of their school-related needs. Because of a grant and donors, over 400 backpacks and school supplies were distributed to children in grades K-12.

Participants were also treated to a light-bite lunch, health and safety demonstrations.

SFBV’s Program Coordinator for Grimes County, Chasitdy Love handed out brochures and goody bags to parents. Love also talked to parents about the new project which will help individuals to maintain healthy relationships, parenting and family financial management.

The program is scheduled to start in October.

Kids get school supplies, Parents get resources at Back-to-School Blast

CALDWELL—Hundreds of children braved the summer heat on Tuesday to pick up new backpacks and school supplies at Burleson County’s Back-to-School Blast.

Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley teamed-up with Copperas Hollow Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, local businesses and churches to make the event possible.

Holly Narro, SFBV’s Program Coordinator for Burleson County, spoke to parents about the new project which will seek to provide couples and individuals with the tools they need to create and maintain healthy families.

The classes are scheduled to start in October and will also be held in Brazos, Grimes, Madison and Robertson Counties.

Kids, Families Line Up for Family Funfest

COLLEGE STATION–Hundreds of families participated in the Back to School Family Funfest last night at Aldersgate United Methodist Church.

Starting at 5:30 p.m., Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley gave away over 100 backpacks, each filled with cool gadgets and brochures about the project.

Nancy Winn, Program Coordinator for Brazos County talked to parents about the new project which is schedule to start in October. “ I spoke to hundreds of parents and informed them about our project that will help them to maintain healthy families,” Winn said.

Children were also treated to free health screenings, finger-printings, games and activities.

The event was sponsored by Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas, Texas Department of Transportation, Chi St. Joseph Health, Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley and Brazos Valley Coalition.

Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley holds reception in Navasota

Navasota—Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Family and Community Health Unit introduced a new program, “Strengthening Families of the Brazos Valley” (SFBV) to Grimes County service organizations, city and county residents.

Program Manager Laurie Naumann explained what the program would explore and goals of the program regarding healthy relationships, parenting and family financial management.

This will be the first program conducted in the Brazos Valley and classes are also being held in Brazos, Burleson, Madison and Robertson Counties.