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(Ridgewood , NJ) November 9, 2006 - During Thanksgiving week, Ridgewood residents will join thousands of people and organizations across the United States to celebrate National Family Week, which is a time to focus on the connections they have with their families and communities.
Groups across the nation will host National Family Week celebrations for children and families in their communities. Children's Aid and Family Services has decided to commemorate this special week in a unique way. The agency is encouraging local families to pledge to do a family-oriented activity together by having them fill out pledge cards. The pledge cards are in the shape of a hand, with suggested activities to promote family connections, such as eating dinner together twice a week, playing a game together once a week, volunteering on a service project, or saying something nice to each other every day. The middle of the card contains an area where families can write their pledge to do the activity of their choice together.
Photo Caption: The National Family Week Advocacy Award 2006 was presented to the volunteers of Children's Aid and Family Services' Baby Basics program. Baby Basics is designed to provide infant formula and diapers to babies of low-income parents. The program serves children 2 years and younger; the families receive formula for one year and diapers for two. |
The pledge card and flyer have been distributed to various places of worship, including: the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood; Old Paramus Reformed Church; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church; Arya Samaj, Hindu Community; Ridgewood United Methodist Church; Mount Bethel Baptist Church; Temple Israel Jewish Community Center; Muslim Society of Ridgewood; Emmanuel Baptist Church; and the Community Church of Upper Ridgewood. Families can either hand the pledge card in at their place of worship, or return it to Children's Aid and Family Services' Ridgewood office at 148 Prospect Street by November 17.
The completed chain of hands will be displayed at the Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration Service on Wednesday, November 22, 2006, at 8:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place. During December, the chain will be displayed in the Community Center of the Village Hall. Anyone interested in volunteering to decorate the Unitarian Society with the "hands" for the Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration can contact Marianne Bennett, at 201-445-7015, by November 20 for details.
National Family Week embraces the premise that children live better lives when their families are strong, and families are strong when they live in communities that connect them to economic opportunities, social networks, and services such as access to reliable transportation, employment opportunities, education, child care, housing, health care, and support from community networks and institutions.
"Families are extraordinarily important to our communities and our country," says Bob Jones, Ph.D., president & CEO, Children's Aid and Family Services. "When America's diverse families and children are healthy, our nation prospers. That's why we hope everyone will make a pledge to spend more time together during National Family Week."
The 36th annual National Family Week is sponsored by The Alliance for Children and Families, and is supported by Children's Aid and Family Services and the Interfaith Religious Leaders of Ridgewood. Visit www.nationalfamilyweek.org to learn more about National Family Week and get helpful hints for making Connections Count.
Children's Aid and Family Services is one of the largest regional, nonprofit human services organizations serving northern New Jersey. The agency is fully accredited and has more than 100 years of experience in building futures for children, families, and communities. Its mission is to help children, families, and communities to heal, to learn, and to grow.
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