Indianapolis is Building Strong Families

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Indianapolis is Building Strong Families
by Mayor Bart Peterson

This article is a monthly message from the Mayor to Indianapolis' Neighborhoods.

Strong families are the bedrock of our community. All of us, regardless of the salaries we earn or the neighborhoods we live in, recognize the value of family, and treasure the time we spend together with our families. Through the Family Strengthening Coalition, a broad-based coalition of community, faith-based, corporate and civic partners, we are working to keep families more connected – to each other and to the services they need – out of a belief that isolation is both a cause and a symptom of family breakdown.

The Family Strengthening Coalition has been hard at work laying the foundation for a movement in Indianapolis which encourages our families – with the help of people in this city – to be strong, capable, and connected. To bring this closer to reality, the Coalition has established five goals: families are healthy and safe; families are financially secure; families are engaged in each other’s lives; families are engaged in the community; and families instill and support cultural traditions, community responsibility, and faith traditions. A wide range of initiatives have already begun to further these goals: active work groups, awards, and promotional activities.

Each year the family strengthening movement culminates in one all-day event where families, policy makers, and community organizations come together to connect families not only to each other, but also to valuable community resources and services. I strongly encourage you and your neighbors to attend the Family Strengthening Summit on November 23.

Hosted by the Family Strengthening Coalition at the Indiana State Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., this annual event promises to be both informative and fun. Throughout the day, workshops will be offered on educational, safety and economic issues. Electronic polling will be conducted on issues that matter to you and your family. And families will have the opportunity to learn new ways to maximize their time together. In addition to the many activities that will be offered, the 2002 Indianapolis Families Count awards will be presented to ten community, neighborhood and faith-based organizations in recognition of their support of local families.

Information received from the Summit will be put to good use, because it will give important feedback to the Family Strengthening Coalition about what’s on your mind and will provide a springboard for new policy goals and initiatives designed to benefit all Indianapolis families.

For more information about the Family Strengthening Summit, or to participate in the Family Strengthening Coalition, please contact 423-1770 or visit www.indyfamilies.org.

I hope to see you – and your family – at the Family Strengthening Summit on November 23 as we work together to help Indianapolis families stay strong, capable, and connected.