Trinity Covenant Church

Building Healthy Families, Inc. is a Manchester, CT 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the purpose of promoting healthy development of infants and toddlers.  We are a group of people from widely diverse professional backgrounds. Our expertise ranges from medicine, counseling, and business to education, parenting, literacy and child development. Most of the people involved in Building Healthy Families are members and friends of Trinity Covenant Church and you may already know some of us!!  We are committed to touching Manchester families with young children with God's love.  You can learn more about us at our website, bhfct.org.

In the gospel of Mark, Jesus expressed the greatest commandment like this... "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31, New Living Translation)

Building Healthy Families is a non-profit Christian organization. We seek to follow the teaching of Jesus to love our neighbors as ourselves by equipping parents and other care-givers to provide the kind of nurture children require for healthy development. The earliest years of a child's life are crucial for his or her future and we believe the adults in a baby's life have an irreplaceable opportunity to give their baby a healthy start.

We are convinced that Biblical faith must have practical expression. By serving others, we bring the love of God to them in Jesus' name. This includes the resources of time, expertise, life experience and personal friendship. Jesus blessed the children broguht to Him.  We want to do the same!

Building Healthy Families provides opportunities for the members and friends of Trinity Covenant Church to put their convictions, faith and love into action.  We hope you'll join us in this ministry!

The home environment powerfully affects the healthy development of infants and toddlers. Studies have shown the early years of childhood are crucial in establishing a strong foundation for success in school and later life. Our program equips expectant parents and parents with children up to three years old with the knowledge and skills to provide a nurturing home. To do this, we offer the BrightStart™ workshop at no cost for Manchester parents, so we depend on qualified volunteers and the generous financial support of people like you. Our goal of giving every child a bright start will be realized when every baby raised in Manchester reaches his or her developmental milestones and is prepared physically, socially and emotionally for optimal learning in pre-school, kindergarten, and beyond.

The BrightStart™ workshop is organized around four key elements, or ABCDs, of healthy child development: Attention, Bonding, Communication, and Diet. We emphasize the importance of good nutrition, emotional security, and proper discipline to help babies and toddlers learn. In our workshop, we follow the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. An important literacy component empowers parents to read regularly to their children and develop a desire in children to read for themselves.

The BrightStart™ workshop takes place on eight consecutive Saturday mornings. Each session begins and ends with a nutritious meal for the whole family followed by weekly discussion topics for parents. Parents take home resources including: age appropriate books, toys, and safety items. During the workshop, infants to 3-year-old children and their older siblings engage in educational play with our carefully screened, trained and supervised staff of volunteers.

Who can help? Who has real hope? Christians.  God has given each follower of Jesus at Trinity Covenant Church a special gift to use in service to others. What's yours?

Administration

organization, finance, write grants, publicity

Hospitality

meal preparation, greeters

Teaching

help parents develop pre-literacy skills in their children; lead mentoring groups for parents after the BrightStart Workshop

Service

care for children in an educational play setting, make toys, puppets, etc.

Helps

set up, clean up, clerical support

Exhortation

attend the class with your baby and build lasting relationships with other families. Canvass the neighborhood and encourage families to attend the BrightStart Workshop run by Building Healthy Families.

Giving

gather donated materials, give financially

Join Us

Look and pray for how you can experience hands-on involvement on one or more Saturdays this Fall from September 17 through Novmber 4.

Building Healthy Families depends on qualified volunteers, the partnership of community organizations and the generous financial support of individuals and local businesses.  As you support Building Healthy Families, you contribute to the future of Manchester's children and families and to the future of Manchester!

Pray with us...

• that God will provide the resources needed for a successful BrightStart Workshop beginning September 17.

• for fruitful ministry, that lives of families and children will be changed, forever.

• for everyone involved in the workshop and behind the scenes.

• for the workshop participants; that they will be open to growth and change.

for effective means of follow-up with families who participate in the workshop.

Serve with Us...

• There are many ways you can serve using your gifts, energy and time. Pre-Workshop Community Promotion, Saturday Serving Team Leaders, Fund-raising, Set-Up, Hospitality, Nutrition, Children's Ministry, and Follow-Up are some examples.

• Saturday Serving Teams are being formed around several CommunityLife groups. Learn more about this in the next article and talk to your group about how you can be involved.

• Look for how you can experience hands-on involvement on one or more Saturdays from September 17 through November 4.

Give...

• Building Healthy Families depends on the financial partnership of people who share our vision.  We accept online giving on our web site: bhfct.org via PayPal, which provides a simple and secure means to donate via credit card or a PayPal account. You can also give by a check made out to Building Healthy Families, Inc. and delivered to:

Building Healthy Families, Inc.

302 Hackmatack Street

Manchester, CT 06040

However you choose to contribute, you will receive acknowledgment of your tax-deductible donation. Remember, as a 501(c)(3) public charity, Building Healthy Families, Inc. is eligible for matching grants offered by many employers. Ask your employer about contributing to our mission!  Be sure to check our website regularly for the latest news, articles and volunteer opportunities. And don't forget to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

Putting on the BrightStart^TM Workshop takes many people giving a modest amount of their time and energy.  We plan to have four Saturday Serving Teams that will each provide support for two Saturdays out of the eight sessions of the workshop.

Each Saturday Serving Team will be anchored by two or more CommunityLife Groups that commit to serving on two Saturdays during the eight-week workshop.  Individuals who are not involved in a CommunityLife Group can participate as at-large team member with one of our Saturday Serving Teams.

Saturday Serving Teams will be composed of 15-20 people who each have very clear and specific responsibilities related to the workshop.  Some of the tasks include:

Set Up and Take Down Team

This team moves our workshop equipment and furnishings between the Manchester Fire House across the street from Bennet Academy prior to and after the workshop and make sure our space is clean after the workshop is finished and our guests have left.

Nutrition Team

This team is composed of several people, much like our Community Dinner Night teams that will prepare and serve breakfast and lunch.  Some individuals purchase food while others cook, others serve the meals, some clean up, and some take care of donating any left-overs.

Sign up for Building Healthy Families' e-newsletter, We're Talkin' Baby Talk. It's that easy.