Kimberly is the single mother of three sons and is currently expecting the birth of a fourth child. If you were to ask Kimberly what her concerns are, she would share that her life as a single parent has been stressful and assistance has been needed for quite some time. With the Urban League’s help, Kim was able to overcome the risks and fears of her challenges, make significant progress and her family remains intact. When asked how Kimberly is feeling today about her family’s success, she sums it all up by saying, “I could not have done it without the assistance of the Buffalo Urban League Preventive Services Program.” She notes, “I came to discover that I am just a parent with children who have special needs and they require additional resources. The Buffalo Urban League Case Worker made me feel like a person.”

Our Preventive & Intensive Services are winning the competitive race in keeping families together. Separating children from their families is traumatic for them – the devastation can last a lifetime. Research also shows that once a child is removed from the home, it can be difficult to reunite the family.

Our strategy provides vision, leadership and resources to empower families to cope with problems and build on their strengths. We firmly believe that children, even in the midst of a family crisis, can often be safely protected and nurtured within their own homes.

Highly regarded for our “five star services,” our continuum of programs has earned a strong reputation in the family court system and throughout this region for maintaining families with superior services:

• Child Abuse Prevention
• Foster Care Prevention
• Family Counseling
• Parent Education
• Reuniting Families Separated by Foster Care

Parenting can be challenging. Our team of experienced professionals assists families who may be at potential risk of child abuse or neglect. Case workers diligently offer praise, encouragement and teach new parenting skills. We also provide in-home services and linkage to a variety of community support services – based on individual needs. Our outstanding services produced these results:

• 96% of children remained home safely with their families
• 90% of children were returned home from foster care
• More than 1,000 children were monitored in 2008

Our counseling and educational programs have effectively helped families address major problems, work through barriers and reduce out-of-home placement of children. Our personal and family coaching has enabled families to live together in a safe and supportive environment. We have made a substantial difference in thousands of lives. Through it all, we successfully keep families together.
For information on our services, call (716) 881-4622.