Family Night builds community, empowers families
Family Night is a free community program held Wednesday evenings, September through May, at First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights. Begun last September, the program is an effort to bring people together to grow relationships and offer specialized help for those who need it.
A key partner in Family Night is Faith Community Homes, a local organization whose mission is: "Strengthening northwest suburban families to achieve financial stability and independence through mentoring, rental assistance and support services."
Through Family Night, First Presbyterian and Faith Community Homes work together to offer education, mentoring and other types of support for families involved with Faith Community Homes. This partnership connects people and resources to allow the First Presbyterian community to actively help people in the local community rise above challenging circumstances to create a better life for themselves.
Each Wednesday evening, participants enjoy a drop-in dinner time from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, followed by classes and activities for all ages from 7:00 to 8:00 pm, all for free. Child care is also provided.
At Family Night, church members provide teaching and mentoring for adults, youth, and children. Adult learning opportunities currently include computer training, life skills development, and financial training. Family Night also offers adult Christian education, including the church's "Engage & Encounter" education series. Another current offering is a parenting small group. Anyone can participate in these programs.
Children and youth can take part in fun and educational activities at Family Night. Grades K-5 are encouraged to attend Kids Connect, for gym time, hands-on creative-learning activities and a reading time (read-aloud and silent reading). Youth in grades 6-8 are invited to MSYG (Middle School Youth Group), a time to meet new friends, explore faith and have fun.
Family Night is the result of nearly two years of brainstorming, researching, and planning by the church, as its members sought an impactful way to reach out to neighbors as well as facilitate meaningful, positive and lasting change in the lives of working-poor families in the area. Once the church decided on its goal, its members determined that Faith Community Homes, with its emphasis on helping working-poor families, was a ready-made partner.
According to Faith Community Homes, low-income families are often faced with spending 50 percent or more of their income on housing. With a guideline that no more than 30 percent of a family's income should go toward housing, Faith Community Homes attempts to fill the gap for qualified families by paying a portion of housing costs (rent) for two years. Additionally, families receive guidance from trained volunteer mentors who meet with them at least twice monthly for the entire time they are in the program.
The programs offered at Family Night are an ideal match for the mentoring and educational assistance offered by Faith Community Homes. "Family Night is designed to bring people together," said Rev. Alex Lang, pastor at First Presbyterian. "Our goal is to get to know our neighbors and to help under-resourced parents learn valuable skills to improve their lives and the lives of their children."
Charles Warner, executive director of Faith Community Homes, said, "Family Night is a wonderful opportunity to come together each week for fellowship, learning and fun. It is a time to build relationships and strengthen the community."
First Presbyterian Church is at 302 N. Dunton Ave. in Arlington Heights. To learn more about Family Night, visit www.fpcah.org or call 847-255-5900. To learn more about Faith Community Homes, visit http://fchomes.org or call 847-342-0846.