Transcript:

Mike, program participant, Family Center

When I was three my birth father left and when my mom was still single she'd leave us alone my grandparents and grandfather was very abusive towards me and even towards my sister. It really wasn't a safe place. Those experiences took a long time for me to want to deal with. I struggled through my late teens through my 20s and even through my 30s. I really didn't take care of myself. I didn't care about taking care of myself. I didn't care if I existed to tell you the honest truth. Nothing changed in my life until my daughter Hailey came along

Kaylan, program participant, Family Center

I am the proud mother of Ruby who is 21 months old and Kiara who was seven years old when she died in a car accident. When my first daughter got into a car accident, I was six days sober from alcohol heroin cocaine pretty much anything you could name. I just celebrated six years a

Keith, program participant, Nurturing Fathers

I was in DCF from the age of six until I was 18. my father and mother were drug

addicts they gave up on me at a really young age. I feel like I used that throughout my childhood and my adult life as an excuse I've made some pretty bad decisions.

Tae’Voahn, program participant, Healthy Families

I grew up in a married household it was loving. I loved my home. I was pregnant and had gotten into a physical fight with my older sister the social worker there had referred Healthy Families

to me and ever since then I have been connected.

Shaquille, program participant, Nurturing Fathers

Growing up you know my father wasn't really there he was in and out. My mom raised six kids on her own and um it was just challenging, it was challenging. I lacked a lot of guidance I was

starting to get in trouble and I just didn't have somebody to you know kick me in the butt and say this is how you supposed to do it. When I first heard about the program, I honestly thought you know it was just another program that the jails trying to shove in my schedule but then I actually sat there and from day one it was just amazing you know all the way through and

left me wanting more.

Keith

That program catapulted me into the person I am today. My ten-year-old told me you should be afraid of me. When I'd come home and not knowing how to deal with this situation.

I would yell or I would scream or you know something and the program has helped. I've learned how to cope with things and you don't have to use violence as a way of communication. My children are actually able to talk to me now about their problems and I'm there to listen.

Tae’Voahn

I had been suffering from anxiety and depression. So they recommended that I get therapy because after having a baby I would then follow to postpartum depression and my

depression that I was already suffering from would just be worse. And the therapy worked it made me realize that in order

for me to be the best mom that I need to take care of me and make sure I'm good or I can't do that for my baby.

Mike

My first reaction when I first heard about the programs is these are free. As a single

father I was looking for things to do with Hailey and things just teach me to

be a better dad and I was actually quite surprised when I found out all the

programs that were available in at no cost. Since then I've signed up for everything I possibly can to educate myself.

Kaylan

At the Family Center they have a group that's called parent to parent and it is definitely a place where we're allowed to kind of break down our walls and open up and share on a deeper level. It’s really given me a place to be able to share openly about my daughter and openly about my grief.

Tae’Voahn

A lot of things that I like set goals for and steps for and you know made deadlines, life happened, a lot of life happened. But Healthy Families had my back all the way through those rough patches and helped me achieve my goals and do what it is that I set out to do.

Kaylan

The Family Center has helped immensely with my parenting. This is kind of like a second chance that I get at parenting. My daughter now gets to experience like a mom that's

completely clear and able to be fully present for her.

Mike

It makes me feel so fortunate that all these programs have been available to me because to be

honest I think I have a hard time raising Hailey on my own if I didn't have all this help. Because that's exactly what they did was help you know me and my family.

Keith

If it wasn't for Children's Trust or the jail being able to provide the Nurturing Father's program me and my kids wouldn't have the relationship that we have today. I want my kids to know that I'll always be there no matter what that I'm doing everything I can to better myself so

that I can be that father that I wasn’t, you know I wasn't before and I never had.

On screen

Over the past 30 years, more than 300,000 families from every corner of Massachusetts have benefited from the Children’s Trust programs.

Please help us reach more families.