Why is Direct Service to Families a Necessary Component of Systems Change?

Family-serving organizations play a critical role in helping families navigate today’s challenges and build pathways to long-term wellbeing. These organizations serve families now, build local and community power, and help re-shape systems through advocacy and narrative change that is informed by families’ direct experiences. During this conversation, the panelists discussed the importance of pairing family-serving work with advocacy and narrative change work, and how family-serving organizations can build local and community power, and contribute to long-term systems change.

Host:

• Trene Hawkins, senior program officer, Healthy Children and Families portfolio, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Participants:

• Kayla Boisvert, PhD, research lead and consultant to Innovation Network (InnoNet) 
• Chastity Lord, president and CEO, Jeremiah Program
• Rima Meroueh, director of the National Network for Arab American Communities, ACCESS
• Robin McKinney, co-founder and CEO, CASHMD

Relevant resources:

• Innovation Network, Cultivating Systems Change Through Direct Service
• Jeremiah Program 
• ACCESS
• CASH Campaign of Maryland