Q. What is Parents Place?
Parents Place is a ?home away from home? that helps parents raise healthy children. The program served more than 5,000 families and children in San Francisco in 1998 and has extended its reach over the past several years to service Marin County and the North Peninsula through parent education classes and consultation to day care centers. After careful investigation, JFCS determined that a clear need exists, both within and outside the Jewish community, for a comprehensive parents resource center dedicated to educating, supporting and strengthening families on the South Peninsula, which led to the 1999 opening of the Palo Alto Parents Place.

Q. What is the Parents Place?s philosophy about parenting?
Jewish Family and Children's Services (JFCS) recognizes that there are times in the life of every family that demand more than most parents can bear alone. Though circumstances may require different kinds of help or levels of support, all parents face the need for family support coupled with practical, user-friendly information that may help resolve or prevent their children's problems. In 1975, JFCS first responded by using its unique combination of skills and resources to pioneer Parents Place (San Francisco), one of the nation's first family resource centers.

Based on the philosophy that all parents can benefit from help and support in order to raise healthy children, we are there for families during good times and bad, with a range of services suitable to families with ordinary concerns as well as families in crisis. The Parents Place family support model is also built on the philosophy that there is no one ?right way? to parent. The phrase ?family support? is usually used to describe an approach to helping families help themselves. This approach helps families identify and utilize their own skills, knowledge, and resources. It affirms their cultural, ethnic, racial, and linguistic identities and promotes the health and well-being of the neighborhoods and communities where families live. The family support approach is flexible and dynamic, and it changes in response to the needs of program participants.

Q. To whom are the programs targeted?
Based on the philosophy that all parents can benefit from help and support in order to raise healthy children, we are there for families during good times and bad, with a range of services tailored to all family members ? parents and children. The program has two major goals: 1) to help parents build strong, effective families as they guide their children to adulthood; and 2) to identify families at risk, in order to intervene before crises emerge. The Parents Place model recognizes the important influences of role modeling and peer support in teaching and learning, and it highlights the partnership between professionals and parents.

Q. How does Parents Place/JFCS work with other existing Jewish and general community organizations and services?
JFCS is dedicated to harnessing the resources of Jewish and general communities to help families succeed. To that end, we are creating strong, cooperative relationships with existing community resources and creating a local advisory body to achieve broad-based community support and involvement to prevent duplication of service.

Q. Do we have to be Jewish to use Parents Place?
Parents Place has evolved into the Bay Area's leading family resource center, providing education, prevention and treatment services for children of all ages, their parents, teachers and caregivers. Parents Place exists to serve families of all backgrounds and socioeconomic levels. All programs are non-sectarian, but rooted in our Jewish values that teach us that family is the most important institution in our lives.

Q. Do we have to go to Parents Place to take advantage of its programs?
One of the advantages of Parents Place is the flexible nature of its programs. Services are provided at JFCS offices, at schools, childcare centers and worksites, as well as at other community institutions. Please call the Parents Place closest to you for more information about options for taking advantage of the many services offered.

Q. What does it cost to participate?
Costs for all services, including counseling, consultations, workshops and classes, vary according to the length and scope of the program or service provided. A sliding scale based on the individual?s ability to pay may be available for some programs and services. Please call your local Parents Place to inquire about costs for specific programs and services.

Q. How is Parents Place connected to Jewish Family and Children?s Services?
Peninsula Parents Place is a program of Jewish Family and Children?s Services (JFCS) of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties. By working closely with JFCS, Parents Place is able to take advantage of dozens of other programs and services that may be useful to families using Parents Place services. In this way, we create a comprehensive, supportive network of care to meet a given family?s needs.

Q. Tell me more about JFCS.
Jewish Family and Children?s Services (JFCS) of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties reaches out to people of all ages, faiths and ethnic backgrounds with comprehensive, integrated social services in the most effective, compassionate way possible. Founded in 1850 by Gold Rush pioneers, JFCS exists to provide professional and volunteer services for the purposes of developing, restoring and maintaining the competency of families and individuals. In addition to providing direct services, JFCS help people identify and utilize their own skills, knowledge and resources to improve their lives. As our community changes and evolves, so do the challenges in providing adequate care for those in need -- the frail, elderly?newcomers to the country?homeless mothers and their children?parents and at-risk children and teens. To accomplish its goals, JFCS relies on thousands of acts of lovingkindness -- visits to the ill and elderly, meal delivery, rides to the doctor, tutoring for youngsters -- performed by its more than 2,100 dedicated volunteers who give of themselves to create a more caring community.

Q. How large an organization is JFCS? How long has it been in operation?
Founded in 1850 by Gold Rush pioneers, Jewish Family and Children?s Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties is one of the largest family service agencies in the U.S., with 17 Bay Area offices in five counties serving more than 40,000 children, adults and elderly annually.

Q. Are there volunteer opportunities?
JFCS has many meaningful opportunities for individuals and families to ?give back? to the community by volunteering to help others. Whether you want to work with seniors, children or any other special group, we can make a place for you in our family of dedicated, caring volunteers. For all the details about our many volunteer programs, just click here.

Q. How can I help spread the word?
As JFCS grows to serve the needs of Bay Area residents, you can help by spreading the word about JFCS? comprehensive range of services to family, friends, colleagues, your congregation and people you know that may be in need of JFCS? compassionate care. Make announcements in your synagogue bulletin. Speak up at community meetings. If you have professional experience with advertising or public relations, you may wish to donate your services to JFCS to help us develop ad or publicity materials.