Palo Alto's Family Resources began as a concept that was embraced by City Council Member Liz Kniss during her term as Mayor in 1994. Council Member Kniss convened a broad-based Task Force to familiarize itself with the concerns of Palo Alto's families and to develop a plan for the City to assist in addressing some of those needs. During 1994 - 1996 community members and non-profit service providers formed a Task Force (TF) which conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of Palo Alto through community forums, focus groups, and surveys. Two major themes emerged:
1) While there is a vast array of services provided in the Palo Alto community, easier access to information about these services is desirable.
2) Families are experiencing an increased sense of isolation.
In May 1996, the Task Force presented to the City Council a Family Resources Business Plan, based on the information collected from the needs assessment. The main objectives of the plan were to facilitate connections between people, to decrease the isolation experienced by many young families, and to build community. The Family Resources information database would eventually include services for all families. However, initial efforts would emphasize coverage of resources for families with children of ages 0-6 years.
During 1997, a Family Resources Advisory Group (TF Advisory Group), comprised of a subset of the Task Force and City staff, worked together to refine the Family Resources Plan. The TF Advisory Group developed a revised Family Resources Plan: a three-phase implementation plan based on a collaboration of family service providers, the City of Palo Alto, and the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD).
In February 1998, the Palo Alto City Council approved the three-phase Family Resource Center Implementation plan and a budget for Phase One. The budget for Phase One provides for operating expenses for the Phase One activities, including the development of a database, the design of a website, and the development of a training program; and includes funds to hire staff members, a fund developer, and a web design consultant.
The public availability of the Family Resources website with a searchable database of resources serving this community marks the completion of Phase One. Family Resources, Phase One, was also characterized by the following:
1) A community-based Steering Committee providing Family Resources with overall guidance and policy direction;
2) A Family Resources staff specialized in resource information;
3) New systems of resources information dissemination (The Family Resources website, Desktop kiosks of information, and person to person information exchange initiated in the Ambassador Development Program);
4) A network of family service providers, working together with Family Resources to serve the community;
5) A plan for Family Resources promotion and advocacy;
6) A long-range strategic plan for Family Resources fund development; and Evaluation measures to evaluate the success of Family Resources.
The completion of Phase One was accomplished in January 2000. Upon implementation, Family Resources received awards from Civica.com; FederalComputerWeek.com; and MIT for innovative use of the internet in support of the community.
7.) In June 2000, the Strategic Plan of the Santa Clara County Children & Families First Commission (now FIRST 5) (charged with dispersing the Prop 10 cigarette tax funds) recommended the Family Resources Ambassador Development Program for replication in all the other 14 cities of the County.
8.) In early 2007, through funding from FIRST 5 and a contract with Parents Place, replication of the Ambassador Development Program began in Mountain View. Replication will begin in Sunnyvale in the fall of 2007.
9.) Currently, the Family Resources Foundation in Palo Alto takes a major responsibility for sustaining funding to support the Family Resources Program.
The Family Resources project currently resides within the City of Palo Alto's Cubberley Center & Human Services Division, within the Community Services Department. For more information, contact Sharon Murphy, Child and Family Resources Manager at 650-329-2280 or email familyresources@cityofpaloalto.org
