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Dear Friends of Family Paths, 

Family Paths always has supporting parents at the heart of our mission. From our founding as a 24-hour parenting hotline, to the creation of our Positive Parenting curriculum, we were at the forefront of the efforts to teach new skills to help parents learn how to better communicate with their children and help all families tap into their strengths.

  

We know that when parents have support, their children do better, and when children do better, their parents also do better. It's a re-enforcing loop. That is why our programs focus on a wide variety of ways to help parents and children connect and learn ways to manage the impacts of stress, anxiety and trauma.  

We understand that parenting is hard, and the world we live in can be challenging. The difficulties that families face have evolved and the connection to support – both practical and emotional - is more necessary than ever. Family Paths proudly walks beside parents because we know the essential role they play not only in their individual families but in our communities.  

I invite you to learn more about all of our programs and the various ways we work to empower parents, support families and ultimately heal communities.  

  

 ~ Barbra Silver, Executive Director

EMPOWERING PARENTS - SUPPORTING FAMILIES - HEALING COMMUNITIES “My family and I would like to say we appreciate the team at 
Family Paths so much! You make a difference in our community.” 

WHO WE SERVED IN 2023-2024

62%

36%

.4%

.2%

.4%

1%

42%

16%

5%

27%

9%

1%

Oakland

Hayward

San Leandro

Other Alameda County

Outside Alameda County

Out of State

Female

Male

Non-Binary

Transgender

Other
Declined to State

313

139

112

54

18

3%

33%

64%

BY PROGRAM

PARENT ED

FIT/ECMH

TIPS

B.O.O.S.T.

FOSTER

0-7 years

8-21 years

22+ years

The parent education movement has evolved significantly since the 1980s, when Family Paths first started offering classes to Alameda County parents and caregivers. We became recognized as local experts in Parent Education as we enhanced our curriculum with best practices from research and child development. Always at the heart we believed that parents deserve respect and the opportunity to connect with their own strengths and values.   

We strongly believe that having more culturally relevant options for parents from a variety of backgrounds, taught by teachers who reflect their cultures, will create a safe space for parents to feel respected for who they are and the challenges they face.

“I have taken other parenting classes and this was by far the best class yet.”

Our Positive Parenting Class curriculum is strength based and is grounded in the Protective FactorsTM for building strong families. It is designed to provide parents with an understanding of parenting skills and knowledge, particularly in the areas of child development, communication, positive parenting practices and self-awareness, while emphasizing the importance of self-care and parental resilience. Our goal is to provide parents with the tools they need to create a strong, healthy, safe, and nurturing environment for their children. 

In 2015, Family Paths was honored to be the first agency in Alameda County chosen to be certified providers of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors (AP/OD), an evidence-based parenting, leadership, and advocacy program for parents with children ages 0 to 5. The mission of AP/OD is to support parents as leaders of their families and as their child’s first and most influential teacher in a home that is their child’s first school. The goal of the curriculum is to equip parents and caregivers with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to support their children’s success and to be effective advocates on behalf of their families. Originally created by and for Latino parents, Family Paths expanded the curriculum to offer the classes in Cantonese, Mandarin, and Vietnamese, in addition to Spanish and English.

Family Paths supports dads and father-figures by providing a dynamic series of classes called Fatherhood and Co-parenting: Beyond Conflict, which launched in 2018 with a grant from the Greater Good Science Center. Fathers in our classes learn how best to raise and nurture their children, ways to be a positive force in their kids’ lives, how to effectively communicate with their co-parent, and strategies to navigate the Alameda County Family Court and Child Support system. One long-term result is the improvement of the social-emotional development of their children,  which improves school performance, graduation rates, and a reduction in the risk of incarceration. 

Our Young Parent Education Program is designed to empower young parents up to 25 years old to develop positive parenting skills using the Nurturing Parenting curriculum. Launched in 2022, this series is especially designed for young parents who have or have had involvement in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems. The program assists participants and their children by increasing parenting knowledge, supporting positive parent-child interactions, and improving co-parenting relationships. In addition, the program helps to provide community linkages and encourages family-centered activities to strengthen generational bonding, which helps break multi-generational trauma. 

Our Soulful Connections class, which launched this October, features the Effective Black Parenting curriculum and empowers African American/Black families by fostering strong, culturally relevant parenting skills. The series integrates Afrocentric values, promoting self-esteem, resilience, and effective communication. Through engaging activities, parents learn strategies to nurture positive, respectful relationships and support their children's emotional and academic success. We are excited to offer this class online to parents across the entire state.

“The tools I learned help me focus on what is really important - 

OUR KID! 

Thank you,

Family Paths, for believing in dads.”

Family Paths' 24-Hour Parenting Stress Helpline has made a significant impact on parents across Alameda County. Recently, a father struggling to reconnect with his child called seeking therapy services. After many unsuccessful searches, he felt defeated, fearing he’d never see his child again. Through weekly callbacks by one of our Parent Support Counselors (PSC) he received emotional support and community resources. Eventually, he found a therapist and felt hopeful about repairing his relationship with his child.

 

Another caller was an overwhelmed mother in severe distress expressing suicidal thoughts. She found solace in a compassionate conversation with a PSC. The counselor provided reassurance, normalized the challenges of parenting, and encouraged her to seek additional therapy sessions and join a Parent Education group. This interaction left the mother feeling valued and supported, agreeing to take steps toward further help.

 

These calls demonstrate the Helpline’s role in empowering parents with emotional support, practical advice, and community resources for their unique challenges and everyday parenting stress. 

“Thank you, Family Paths, for changing our society one family at a time.”

The BOOST team (Building Opportunities and Outreach for Support and Treatment) supports CalWORKs Welfare-to-Work clients facing challenges with therapy, case management, and employment services. "Brenda”, a mother of 3, received weekly therapy and access to specialized schooling through our team’s help. “Carla,” who lost her CalWORKs aid, had benefits restored within 48 hours thanks to the team’s advocacy, and helped secure access to Section 8 housing, preventing homelessness for her family. These successes highlight our BOOST program’s commitment to empowering individuals and strengthening families through comprehensive, compassionate support.

Our 10-week Finding Peace Within group helps mothers heal from past trauma and build resilience through therapeutic workshops, mindfulness, and peer support, empowering them to manage stress and foster emotional well-being. 

 

A recent Finding Peace Within attendee found comfort in recognizing the universality of stress, while another valued learning ways to avoid personal pitfalls. A returning member noted that repeating the 10-week session helped embed these skills into her daily life. Another participant shared, “The group saved my life,” highlighting its profound impact in fostering resilience, support, and belonging.

 

“I feel so knowledgeable about how to be a gentle parent and how different parenting ways affect my child.”

The Families in Transition (FIT) program offers critical support to children and youth navigating complex challenges, providing mental health therapy, advocacy, and resources to foster family stability and emotional resilience.

 

“Arianna,” who was referred to us by her school for distractibility and aggression following her parents’ separation, met regularly with a therapist and both parents. Our team's Family Partner was able to connect her mother to legal aid, supporting her through eviction prevention and co-parenting challenges. When safety concerns arose, the clinician coordinated with the family and child welfare services, ultimately helping her mother navigate custody and protection advocacy.  

The FIT team also supports recently immigrated families with integration assistance and emotional support through culturally attuned, language-appropriate care. The FIT program empowers families by strengthening relationships, promoting resilience, and coordinating resources. 

Family Paths’ Foster Parent Community Advocate offers multifaceted support to foster parents in Alameda County, empowering them to navigate crises and access resources. The Advocate provides burnout relief through regular check-ins, self-care strategies, and therapy referrals, helping caregivers stay resilient in their roles. Recently, the Advocate helped “Doris,” a relative caregiver, secure guardianship by offering court navigation assistance, ensuring a stable environment for her grandson. Through personalized support and advocacy, Family Paths’ Foster Parent Community Advocate strengthens the community, fostering stability and empowerment for families.  

EXPANDING OUR REACH INTO THE COMMUNITY

The Family Paths Outreach Team has had an incredible year in 2024, filled with transformative accomplishments and deepened connections within the community. Here’s a look at the milestones that have made this year unforgettable:

 

✨ Parent Hub Café (Phub): A Lifeline for Parents
Launched in September 2024, Phub has quickly become a crucial resource for parents seeking guidance while waiting for mental health services. Offering Positive Parenting curriculum and practical support workshops, The Phub bridges service gaps and reaches parents who might not qualify for other programs. It’s more than an outreach tool; it’s a lifeline for families navigating tough times.

 

🌟 Community Advisory Network (CAN): A Growing Force for Change
The CAN, founded by Family Paths, has grown to an astounding 250+ members in 2024. Every bimonthly meeting brings together diverse community leaders and advocates to collaborate on solutions for Alameda County’s pressing challenges. This network has become a powerful hub for resource sharing, advocacy, and collective impact.

 

🎉 High-Impact Community Engagement
With an impressive average of 6 to 7 events per month, the Outreach Team has been everywhere this year—organizing presentations, tabling at events, and hosting meetings that connect Alameda County families to essential services. Each event strengthens bonds with the community, raising awareness and ensuring no family feels left behind.

 

🤝 Building Stronger Partnerships
Family Paths has forged meaningful collaborations with local organizations to deliver holistic support. From mental health providers to educational institutions and housing programs, these partnerships are addressing families’ needs with care and compassion.

 

🌍 Expanded Referral Network 
Through tireless dedication, the team has streamlined referrals to external agencies, ensuring families can access the services they need to thrive. This network is a testament to Family Paths’ commitment to a comprehensive, wraparound approach to family support.

 

These achievements are more than milestones—they’re a celebration of the Family Paths Outreach Team’s unwavering dedication to families in Alameda County. Every event, every connection, and every collaboration help build a stronger, more resilient community. Together, we’re making a difference and bringing Family Paths’ mission and values to life! 

FEELING INSPIRED? Invest locally – every dollar helps parents and kids in our community have a safe space to feel heard and supported.   

SCAN OR CLICK ON THIS CODE TO GIVE TODAY

JOIN OUR BOARDUse your passion for our mission to support our organizational goals!

We are recruiting for representatives of BIPOC communities, fathers, those with expertise in finance, HR, legal and other skills, and those excited to promote the work we do with friends and colleagues.

  

Click the LEARN MORE button and fill out our Interest Form.

THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS 2023-2024 FINANCIALS* Alameda County Behavioral Health Department

Alameda County Social Services Agency

California Department of Health Care Services

Chabot-Las Positas Community College District

City of Fremont

State of California Board of State and Community Corrections

*not yet audited Armanino Foundation

Bernard E. & Alba Witkin Charitable Foundation

East Bay Community Foundation/Ruth Arnhold Endowment Fund
Help For Children
In-N-Out Burger Foundation
Rotary Club of Oakland No. 3
Western Alliance Bank

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS,

Wayne Armstrong

Cynthia and Michael Attiyeh

Vincenza Baldino

Zonia Banegas

Renie Bartolini

Miriam Beecham

Shay Black and Erica Pagels

Sujata Bohara

Elizabeth Bremer

Katy Brown

Candace Carpenter

Andrew Chen and Dawn Sung

Cathy J. Chilcott

Kimberly Cohn

Rochelle U. Collins

Angela and Mark Dant

Stacy Del Monte

Anne Dixon

Rene DValery and James Baker

Holly Babe Faust

Janina Fisher

Jeanette Gancos

Roger Glomb

Lois Gray
Ann Graybeal

Mary and Steve Hicken

Rachel A. Jaffe-Powell

Abbe Kalos

Carol Kusmierski David Birnbaum Family Giving Fund

Follow us

Vicki Anne Lant

Eleanor Lew

Jesse Lipson

Emily Loeb, PhD

Phyllis and Scott Lorenz

Donna Luporini Kaplan and Edward Kaplan

Lorraine Mann and Victor Silverman

Catherine and Everett Moran

Nancy Morosohk

Susan O'Brien

Elena Ortiz

Lynette Pang and Michael Man

Diana Paque

Kruti Patel

Nora Privitera and Mike Banister

John and Mary Reaugh

Lucy Rudolph

Debbi and Shelly Sack

Kristi Schutjer and Al Mance

Rose Schweig

Diana and Mitchell Shiver

Michelle Sicula

Barbra Silver and Audrey Rosenberg

Susan Springborg and Gregory Martin

Ralph Sklar

Lesley Sternin

Kaitlyn Van Arsdell

Martha Winnacker, JD

Sarah Winnacker Beaudin

Resti Zaballos, Jr. and Sons

Melissa Zucker

INTERNS, VOLUNTEERS AND PARTNERS!

Clinical Interns
Katie Colver, Vanessa Diaz, Tanya Finley, Jess Foster, Orna Kornig, Linda Ozarow, Yien Saeteurn, Hui Chun Shen, Katerin Celeste Spohn, Kenyona Young

Volunteers - Parenting Stress Helpline

Ray Adler, Jon Lin, Amy Lyden, Olivia Page, Mullai Sampath, Kevin Watson, Paul Wong, Lennon Zheng

Community Advisory Network (CAN)

Andres Abarra, Norman Abercrombie, Brenda Addison, Allison Agbeniyi, Briseyda Aguilar Ramos, Lorraine Allen, Ayanna Anderson, Roxsan Argont, Ron Armstrong, Carolina Arroyo-Soveson, Toon Artz, Tolo Asefi, Armin Avesta, Andrea Avina, Gregory Bailey, Hagerey Berhe, Gary Blodger, Kevin Bremond, Felicia Brown Goins, Austin Brucker, Sheila Burks, Myeeka Calhoun, Etel Calles, Krystal Carpenter, Rev. Cynthia Carter Perrilliat, Tamara Centeno, Jasmine Cervantes, Veena Channon, Laura Chavez, Andrew Chen, Arndre Christian, Paul Cobb, Carol Cohen, Bee & Chris Coleman, R. Bernard Coley, Rochelle Collins, Oleta Cook, Celeste Cordero, Gina Cordero, Cynthia Cornelius, Diana Cortes,  Laurie Costa, Eric Crutcher, Ayana Cruz, Aaron Daley, Andrea Davis, Melody Davis, Paris Davis, Caroline de Vega, Joe DeVries, Norma Dib, Tonya Dumas, Michelle Edmond, Shannon Edwards, Pamela Emerson, Dianna Farias, Elba Flores, Paul Francisco, Cheryl Franklin, Tonja Fuller Bryant, Lynette Gailord, Jason Grant, Jesus Garcia, Josefina Garcia, Niran Ghaley, Lisa Gibes de Gac, Deborah Gladney-Sherron, Karen Gonzalez, Katie Gordon, Ellery Graves, Laura Guajardo, Peter Gutierrez Bufete, Ly Ha, Hannah Hanssens-Reed, Barbara Hardy, Monte Hardy, Nikia Harris, Keith Hazell, Terri Hemphill, Rebecca Highland, Brian Hill, Erica Hilton, Claudia Hinjosa Torres, Marguerite Hughley, Joyce Hum, Isaiah Hurtado, Tonya Jackson, Khafre Jay, Ricky Jefferson, Marlin Jeffreys, Diane Jesus, Soni Johnson, Celeste Jones, Marquita Jones, Sharon Jones-Nelson, Colette Katuala, Carla Keener, Joci Kelleher, Michauxnee Kennan, Jeanne Kettles, Leah Kimble-Price, Robyn King, Nichelle Kitt, Alina Kwak, Michelle La Place-Watts, Donald Lacy, Sara Lamnin, Ria Lancaster, Raymond Landry, Dr. Dawud Lankford, Laurie Lawson, Mandisa Leachman, Ariel Leitner-Zieff, Michelle Lessard, Crystal Lewis, Karla Leyva, Anita Lofton, Noah Lopes, Mariam Lowe, Jamie Luna, Jade Lunsford, Michelle Luong, Ethan Lyles, Veronica Macina, Salina Mansapit, Sophia Marshall, Dr. Aisha Mays, Tina McClain, Ni McCovery, Makalah McElroy, Kimberly McLeod, Miriam Meadow, Maria Medina, Alejandra Melgoza, Charles Mintz, Tya M. Modeste, Jose Carlos Montesinos, Dr. Talia Moore, Michelle Moreiira, Asad Morton, Furoghany Mosley, Sheryl Myers, Farial Nazari, William Nee, Thieny Nguyen, Ny Nourm, Karla Obertik, Antonia Ocha, Jess O'Dea, Ivy Odiamar, Sarahi Ontiveros, Veronica Parker, Ed.D., Iyanna Parler, Lindsay Partridge, Gloribel Pastrana, Maria Perez, Mariana Perez, Michael Perrilliat, Jeremey Phillips, Teray Porter, Raja Potturi, Catherine Powell, Donnise Powell, Avish Prakash, Herbert Reed, Sonia Reed, Kendra Reese, Heather Reyes, Bryan Rick, Imelda Rivas, Titiana Rivera, Steven Robinson, Raul Rodriguez, Dr. Katrina Roundfield, Tamara Sabella, Gina Salazar, Kim San Gabriel, Melissa Santos, Anthony Scott, Nick Sermeno, Shanina Shumante, Sarah Silva, Charles Simmons Jr., Aida Sizova, Patricia Smith, Ben Smity, Maravedi Solorio, Eleni Spiru, John Sterns, Anthony Stott, Sushil Swamy, Helen Tam, Alexis Taper, Yawo Tekpa, Araceli Tellez, Nichelle Terry, Willie Thompson, Ken Toliver, Claudia Torres, Kim Anh Tran, Samantha Twal, Virginia Virgil, Bry'AnA Wallace, Sadara Welch, Stephany Welch, Dr. Khalid White, Joseph Whittacker II, Diane Williamson, Maura Willow, Aisha Wilson, Michelle Wilson, Patricia Wilson, Jaleah Winn, Yvonne Woods, Alejandra Yanez, Alexa Young, Christina Yu, G’esler Zavala, Carol Zilli  

Community Partners
Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors National Institute, Alameda Alliance Health, Alameda County Fathers Corps, Community Child Care Council (4Cs) of Alameda County, Crisis Support Services of Alameda County, First 5 Alameda County, Kidango, New Haven Unified School District, The Unity Council, YMCA East Bay

Board of Directors

Katy Brown - President
Miriam Beecham - Vice President
Rochelle Collins - Secretary
Lucy Sheftel - Treasurer

Sujata Bohara

Andrew Chen

Mandisa Leachman

Denise Leadbetter

Debbi Sack

Kaitlyn Van Arsdell

Martha Winnacker

MAIN OFFICE
1727 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Suite 109
Oakland, CA 94612

510-893-9230

FamilyPaths.org

Leadership Team  

Barbra Silver - Executive Director
Stacy Del Monte - Chief Operating Officer
Rene DValery - Clinical Director
Erica Hilton - Family Services Director
Armin Avesta - Finance Director
Heather Mundell - Human Resources Director
Christopher Palmer - MIS Director

Lorraine Allen (BOOST), Shay Black (Administration/Facilities), Maya Hart (Quality Assurance), Nancy Morosohk (TIPS), Angela Powell-Bulutoglu (FIT), Julianne Rositas (Parent Education), Kim San Gabriel (Helpline),

Valentina Torres (FIT), Otis Ward (Outreach)

HAYWARD OFFICE
22320 Foothill Blvd., Suite 400
Hayward, CA 94541