OUR PROGRAMS

 Kids' Day, Downtown State College, PA

Research has shown that spending quality family time is among the most critical factors in strengthening family bonds and promoting positive youth development. To encourage a local commitment to nurturing and appreciating children, Care Partnership, Centre County Communities that Care, and Penn State Cooperative Extensive have sponsored Centre County Kid's Day for the last six years. A day of free fun, Centre County Kid's Day has been modeled after National Kids Day. This celebration of childhood was created in 1994 by KidsPeace, a 125-year-old children's crisis charity, and has been elevated in national recognition by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, 4-H and YMCA. The intent is to encourage adults to spend meaningful time with children to prepare them for healthy, happy, successful futures, whether it's with their sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, or any child in need of mentoring.

Events are held in downtown State College as a part of the Downtown Improvement District Fall Fest. The State College events, coordinated by Care Partnership; Centre Region Communities That Care and the State College Downtown Improvement District, include activities like: a carousel, rock-climbing wall, moon bounce, giant slide, face painting, food, crafts, games, nutrition and animal displays, a reading booth, music, a magician, Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, the BugMobile, free family photos, sidewalk sales by local businesses, and more.

The demands of daily life often make spending meaningful time a challenge, but this year's Centre County Kids Day promises to offer opportunities for adults to give children focused time, to promote togetherness, and to create memories. To learn more about Centre County Kids Day or to become involved in your local Communities That Care, contact us. Giving of one's time and attention is a valuable gift, so this year, take the National Kids Day Pledge with a special child in your life and remember it throughout the year.

TRANSITION & MOBILITY—LOW NEIGHBORHOOD ATTACHMENT

McGRUFF HOUSES—McGruff Houses serve as a passive support system for children in the neighborhood; children who feel unsafe, threatened, or ill are educated to stop at a McGruff Safe House on their way to or from school for help.

SUMMER LIBRARY PROGRAM—The State College Area PTA/PTO Council, in cooperation with Schlow Centre Region Library, operates an elementary summer library program in three of the district’s eleven elementary schools. The Care Partnership contracts with Schlow Library to provide staff for the summer library programs in three neighborhood schools. All three of the schools identified—Panorama, Park Forest, and Lemont—were all identified as high mobility and low attachment.

COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECT - Neighbors at Ashworth Woods come together to create a neighborhood garden. Kids, parents, community volunteers, Calvary Baptist Church,  and PSU Master Gardeners share time in an educative environment.

POOR FAMILY MANAGEMENT

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES PROGRAM—SFP is a nationally and internationally recognized parenting and family strengthening program for high-risk families. SFP is an evidence-based family skills training program found to significantly reduce problem behaviors, delinquency, and alcohol and drug abuse in children and to improve social competencies and school performance. Child maltreatment also decreases as parents strengthen bonds with their children and learn more effective parenting skills. Youth Service Bureau and SCASD Staff offer the program. Childcare for children of participants is provided, as is a meal for participants.

LIVING IN HARMONY—This is a K-2 curriculum in the State College Area School District. It is designed to provide students with opportunities for positive involvement with pro-social peers, skills for recognizing feelings, self-control, and interpersonal problem-solving. The curriculum involves parents and children. A series of structured lessons teach conflict resolution skills, which will increase their knowledge and improve their attitudes and behavior toward better understanding and utilization of conflict resolution concepts. The program lasts for four weeks.

SENSATION-SEEKING

CLIMBING WALL—YMCA trainers provide instruction, safety, and protocol on rock climbing and skills-building to help develop pro-social behavior, cooperation, and teamwork. The school district and probation officers identify and refer high-risk youth to the program.

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS (BBBS)— One-to-one youth mentoring has been shown to have a significant and positive impact on the lives of children, according to the first-ever nationwide impact study of a mentoring organization. BBBS is a program offered by the Youth Service Bureau, and the Care Partnership provides support and in-kind contributions of counseling to participants.

LOW COMMITMENT TO SCHOOL

SUMMER READING AND MATH PROGRAM—The school district is committed to the success of its K-2 Fail-Safe Program, the goal of which is to ensure that all students are readers by the time they complete the third grade. The program provides specialized instruction in reading and math by certified teachers. More than 300 students have been served through this program.

LIFESKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM (LST) - LST is a research-validated substance abuse prevention program proven to reduce the risks of alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse, and violence by targeting the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors. This comprehensive and exciting program provides adolescents and young teens with the confidence and skills necessary to successfully handle challenging situations. LST is backed by over 20 scientific studies and is recognized as a Model or Exemplary program by an array of government agencies including the U.S. Department of Education and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

LIVING IN HARMONY—(SEE ABOVE)