What Went Well in 2012
Our goal at Hand in Hand is to bring Parenting by Connection to every corner of the parenting world, and to make parents' need for emotional support as recognized as their need for car seats for their children, and seat belts for themselves. We want parents to be able to enjoy their children, and to have the tools it takes to deliver their love daily. And we had a banner year doing just that in 2012. I'd like to share my highlights with you!
Our reach has grown: We now connect with over a thousand parents on our discussion group, nearly 5,000 fans on Facebook, over 15,000 newsletter subscribers, and about 30,000 website visitors each month.
Classes: We've taught 35 Building Emotional Understanding classes online this year--a record! Parents rave about the difference this course--and the support they get--has made in their families. And our Parents Intensives and Professionals Intensives were rich with positive growth for those attending and for our Instructor staff, too.
Instructors: We added to our warm and caring team of Certified Instructors. We've got Teachers, Assistants, Trainers and Consultants I'm very proud of, and soon we’ll have Instructors in France and South Africa, in addition to Australia and Israel.
Our Team: We have a caring, smart, and savvy team. Elizabeth Elias, our administrative whiz; Molly Pearson, our Communications Assistant; Supida Chaxianian, our bookkeeper; Usha Sangam, our Program Coordinator; Juli Idleman, our Communications Director, Paul Russell, our ED, and I have enjoyed the challenges and the successes of this year together. I am so grateful to work with people who give their very best, day in and day out, to make life go well for parents and children.
Our Board of Directors: We're excited to have three new and treasured Board members, Penny Righthand, Ron Meiners and Sushmita Vij, who are already applying their skills and talents to building our organization.
New Course: We developed our first self-guided course, No More Hitting, and it has changed the lives of hundreds of families already!
Grant work: Shelley Macy is bringing Building Emotional Understanding classes to Native American Communities in the Northwest, under a 4-year grant from the American Indian College Fund. This training is transforming the lives of parents, children, and child care workers. Pam Oatis, MD, is teaching Listening Partnerships to 700 public health nurses in Ohio who work with medically fragile children and their families. The ripple effects there are many. Dana Davis will soon head a Hand in Hand team bringing Parenting by Connection to parents whose children need mental health services in the Section 8 area of Los Angeles.
Funds for capacity-building: The David and Barbara Jacobs Foundation has granted Hand in Hand $200,000 to build our ability to serve many thousands more parents. We'll be hiring a Development Director, creating and executing our first real marketing plan, and building a much more sophisticated and capacious website.
Our momentum is growing. Parenting by Connection fosters deep and positive growth in parents and in children. We're so glad to have your support and interest as we reach out to increasing numbers of parents. We hope to be a source of support and sustenance for your vital parenting work in 2013, and for many more years to come!
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