Family & Children's Center

10/29/2026

A mom in one of FCC's programs was having a hard time getting out the door each morning. Her two-year-old didn't want to get dressed, breakfast turned into a battle, and everyone was stressed by the time they left the house.

During a home visit, the family's FCC family support specialist suggested something simple: a picture routine showing each step of the morning. (1. Wake up. 2. Get dressed. 3. Eat breakfast. 4. Brush teeth. 5. Put on shoes.) The mom made the guide together with her child, and they started using it every day.

It didn't make every morning perfect. But her toddler began to understand what was coming next and loved pointing to each picture along the way. The mom had to give fewer reminders and mornings became a little calmer.

Supporting a family doesn't always take a big solution. Sometimes it's having someone who listens, understands what's hard, and helps find one small change that makes everyday life easier.

Learn more about your impact:https://www.fccin.org/uploads/4/7/6/8/47681473/digital-2025_fcc_annual_report.pdf

10/26/2026

Every child has big feelings. Tantrums, tears, and meltdowns are a normal part of growing up, especially for toddlers and preschoolers who don't have the words yet to explain what's wrong. These moments can be hard on parents, too.

A few ways to help your child through a tough moment:
- Calm yourself first. Your calm helps your child find theirs.
- Name the feeling: "You're mad because we had to leave the park."
- Keep your child safe, and give them space if they need it.
- Save the lesson for later. Kids can't learn much while they're upset.
- Reconnect afterward with a hug, a snuggle, or quiet time together.

It's also okay to take a deep breath and step back for a moment yourself. Staying steady takes practice, and no parent gets it right every time.

FCC's home visitors help parents learn tools for handling hard moments, so kids feel understood and parents feel more confident.

For more tips on handling big emotions: https://www.manhattanpsychologygroup.com/blog/talking-to-kids-about-big-feelings-a-parents-guide-to-emotional-check-ins/

10/23/2026

Small essentials can make a huge difference for our families. When a new baby needs a safe place to sleep or a car seat for the ride home, families can't afford to wait. That's why FCC created the Compassion Closet.

The Compassion Closet is stocked with brand-new essentials for families, including pack-and-plays, infant and convertible car seats, diapers and wipes, baby gates, child-proofing kits, hygiene supplies, formula, and baby clothes.

Most of the families we serve live below the poverty line, and many cannot afford these important safety items. Our home visitors help parents choose what they need, and families take items home the same day. These small items lead to safer sleep, safer rides, and less stress at home right away.

The Compassion Closet is kept full by community generosity. You can help by hosting a donation drive at your workplace, church, or community group, or by shopping our online wishlist.

See the wishlist here: https://www.fccin.org/compassion-closet.html

10/22/2026

We had a blast at the annual Cops & Goblins event at Four Winds Field! 🎃 We loved seeing all the smiling kids in costume and sharing our mission with hundreds of families. Thank you to the South Bend Police Department and South Bend Cubs for bringing our community together!

10/20/2026

Young children feel safest when they know what comes next. Simple routines, like waking up at the same time, eating meals at regular times, and following a calm bedtime, help little ones make sense of their day. When a child can guess what is coming, there is less worry, fewer meltdowns, and more room to learn and play.

Routines help parents, too. Fewer daily battles mean less stress for everyone at home. Routines also don't need to be perfect or strict. A few steady moments each day, like reading the same book before bed or singing a song at bath time, can make a big difference.

FCC's Healthy Families home visitors help parents build routines that fit their family's schedule and needs. Small, steady habits add up to calmer homes and kids who feel secure.

Learn more: https://www.fccin.org/healthy-families.html

10/01/2026

A little rain couldn’t stop the fun! Despite showers off and on throughout the day, hundreds of Family & Children’s Center parents and children joined us at Potawatomi Zoo for the John and Catherine Hiler Family Zoo Day.

Families explored the zoo together, visited their favorite animals, and enjoyed plenty of snacks and treats along the way. Every family also went home with a special FCC zipper tote bag, a useful keepsake they can enjoy long after their zoo adventure.

Days like this are about much more than having fun. They give our families the chance to enjoy a special outing together that may otherwise be difficult to fit into the family budget. These shared experiences help parents and children connect, make memories, and simply enjoy being together.

A huge thank you to John and Catherine Hiler, Carleton, and our Board Members for making this wonderful day possible for hundreds of local families!

09/30/2026

Most young kids know their way around a tablet. The question is what they are doing on it.

Tech Crossing is a free FCC program that helps St. Joseph County families use technology to get children ages 3 to 5 ready for Kindergarten. Instead of random videos, children work through real lessons, and parents learn how to guide that learning at home.

Families in the program receive:
- A free Khan Academy Kids account
- One-on-one guidance from Tech Crossing staff
- Worksheets and activities to do at home
- Tips for parents to support their child's learning
- Support setting education goals together

Ninety percent of a child's brain develops by age 5, so these early years carry real weight. Last year, Tech Crossing supported 30 children and their families through 194 hands-on learning sessions.

Tech Crossing is free for families in St. Joseph County with a child ages 3 to 5 who meet income qualifications. Fill out the short sign-up form to see if your family qualifies.

Sign up here: www.fccin.org/tech-crossing-sign-up.html

09/28/2026

How can I build a resilient family?

Roxanne Ultz, MSW, LCSW, our Executive Director, shares her answer.

"Resilient families are not families without challenges. They are families who learn how to face challenges together. Resilience grows through everyday moments. Sharing a meal, reading a bedtime story, listening without judgment, keeping routines, and asking for help when it's needed. These small, consistent actions build trust and help children feel safe, loved, and confident.

Strong families also know that no one has to do it alone. Reaching out to friends, neighbors, family members, or community resources is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Every family faces difficult moments here and there. What matters most is having caring relationships, healthy communication, and the willingness to keep moving forward together. Those everyday moments of connection become the foundation that helps families weather life's biggest storms."

FCC's home visitors work alongside parents to build those everyday routines and connections.

09/18/2026

When people hear "child abuse prevention," they often picture a hotline or a report. By then, harm has usually already happened.

Real prevention starts earlier. It looks like showing up for families during the ordinary weeks, before stress turns into crisis.

What child abuse prevention looks like at FCC:
- Home visiting. A trained home visitor meets parents in their own living rooms to work through sleep, feeding, budgeting, and child development.
- Early childhood education. Children build skills and consistent adults pay attention to them. Parents get breathing room.
- Parent education. Knowing what is normal for a two-year-old lowers frustration, and lower frustration keeps children safer.

None of this is dramatic. That is the point. Prevention is steady support, offered early and often, so families have skills and people to lean on before things get hard.

Learn more about our prevention work: www.fccin.org/healthy-families.html

08/07/2026

Are you pregnant, or do you know someone with a baby three months or younger? Family & Children's Center has openings in Healthy Families, and we would love to meet your family.

Healthy Families pairs you with a trained home visitor who comes to you. No waiting rooms, no appointments to work around. Just someone in your corner who checks in, answers the questions you were not sure who to ask, and helps you feel steady during the months that change everything.

Your home visitor can talk through sleep, feeding, milestones, budgeting, and whatever else is on your mind. You set the pace.

The program is free and voluntary. Families must live in St. Joseph County, Indiana to qualify.

One important note: we cannot accept referrals after a baby turns three months old. The best time to sign up is before the baby arrives, or before he or she is two weeks old.

Learn more or sign up: www.fccin.org/healthy-families.html

Building Strong Families & Healthy Children // Offering FREE, VOLUNTARY parenting education and early education opportunities for St. Joseph County families.