Parent to Parent Family Support Network of the High Country A community program of Appalachian State University serving families and professionals since 1988 offering services in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties

Summary of Services Provided Matches families one-on-one with trained, volunteer parents Information on special needs, disabilities, and diagnoses Seven parent support groups per month Workshops and training for families and service providers Supports Foster Family programs Promotes collaboration among families and service providers University Advancement

Need in Service Area NC State Board of Education: Exceptional Children Populations (2009) Alleghany County, NC226 Ashe County, NC547 Avery County, NC333 Mitchell County, NC357 Watauga County NC775 Wilkes County NC1,286 Yancey County, NC368 Total Population3,892 University Advancement Source: Public Schools of NC/ State Board of Education/ Department of Public Instruction EDUCATION STATISTICS ACCESS SYSTEM (ESAS)

Overall Health Outreach Impact Information & support for families who have children with special needs Fills a service gap in 7-county area 65 Volunteer Support Parents 1 full-time Director 2 part-time Outreach Coordinators 7-member Advisory Board University Advancement

FY Health Outreach Impact University Advancement Staff actively participated 113 times on community committees and collaboratives 7,436 newsletters to individual recipients (note: newsletters are also forwarded to groups)

FY Contacts University Advancement 19 Free Workshops provided for 285 families and professionals in 7 counties 26 Events, Exhibits and Presentations 47 Support Group Meetings Alleghany, Ashe, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey Counties

FY Contacts University Advancement 684 Contacts with Families in 7 Counties: Q1: 100 Families Served via 145 contacts Q2: 105 Families Served via 194 contacts Q3: 80 Families Served via 145 contacts Q4: 116 Families Served via 200 contacts

FY Contacts University Advancement 323 Contacts with Service Providers in 7 Counties: Q1: 56 Service Providers Served via 88 contacts Q2: 41 Service Providers Served via 89 contacts Q3: 36 Service Providers Served via 60 contacts Q4: 46 Service Providers Served via 86 contacts

Satisfaction Survey Results –Workshops University Advancement Learned new information Families: 99% Service Providers: 98% Will use the information I learned Families: 96% Service Providers 97% Feel more confident caring for my child Families 93.5% *Agree or Strongly Agree responses to average of 285 responses

Student Impact University Advancement Class presentations to over 45 students Individual presentations to classes Co-taught “Families in Education” (COE) Cross-disciplinary student internships & service learning opportunities Dance Marathon and Freshman Seminar student volunteers

Grant Funding University Advancement : 12 grants totaling $79,795 Lifetime achievement ( ): $747,863 (ranked 27/92) Lifetime achievement 110 grants (ranked 1/36)

Children's Developmental Services Agency/ Blue Ridge NC Department of Social Services NC Early Intervention Partnerships for Children/Smart Start Smoky Mountain Center University Advancement Connections and Affiliations: Governmental

Alleghany Family Resource Center Appalachian and the Community Together Blue Ridge Electric Members Foundation The Children’s Playhouse, Boone The Duke Endowment High Country United Way Our House Skyline Telephone Membership Corporation Western Youth Network University Advancement Connections and Affiliations: Community (Secular)

Connections and Affiliations: Community (Religious) Cane River Baptist Church, Burnsville Holy Cross Church, Valle Crucis Midway Baptist Church, West Jefferson Rumple Memorial Church, Blowing Rock Spruce Pine United Methodist Church West Burnsville Baptist Church University Advancement

Testimonials University Advancement “Thank you for being so wonderful at supporting me. I appreciate you more than I know how to tell you…. You've enabled me to breathe, to regain my balance and to clear my vision to look with a sense of hope into the uncertain future.” --G.A. “Parent to Parent FSN-HC has a way of meeting people right where they are and providing tremendous support, while letting them make their own choices and learn to believe in their own strengths.” --A.F.

University Advancement “Self help is clearly attractive “because it holds out the promise of high benefit for virtually no public expenditures.” –Pizzo, Peggy Daly. (1983). Parent to Parent: working together for ourselves and our children. Beacon Press, Boston.