County Conversations: Greene County Family Center

The Greene County Family Center has been an integral part of the Greene County service system for over 54 years. The Parents as Teachers Program provides services to families and children. “Our main goal is to prevent child abuse and neglect by providing the necessary support and encouragement for parents and caregivers, which will help their children develop during the critical early years of life,” says Program Director Lisa Milan. “With our evidence-based Parents as Teachers Program, we strive to increase health and child development, increase the success of family units remaining intact, and promote healthy relationships between children and parents.”

The Parents as Teachers Program was honored with the Blue-Ribbon status for fidelity for the centers 2017 model. Families can begin the program prenatally and continue until their children complete kindergarten, which has proven to increase literacy, social interactions/situations, and problem-solving skills. 

The center also provides playgroups that will be restarting at the Springhill Community Center every Thursday, starting November 12, and every Tuesday at Waynesburg First Christian Church, starting November 10, both from 10am-12pm.

Every November, Greene County Family Centers, Parents as Teachers celebrates National PAT Day. “This year we are acknowledging the superhero in everyone by hosting two superhero-themed open houses,” adds Lisa. The first open house will be held on Tuesday, November 3 at First Christian Church of Waynesburg with the second open house on November 5 at the Springhill Community Center; both events run 4pm – 7pm. “Come and join us for lots of fun games and family activities, including a superhero book reading, a healthy snack, and a puppet show! This is a free event for the whole family.”

FMI Family Center at: 724-852-5276 ext: 402, 22 West High St., Waynesburg, PA 15370. 

Open House EVENTS

Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2020, 4pm-7pm 

Location: First Christian Church of Waynesburg, N Morris and Franklin Street, Waynesburg, PA

Date: Thursday, November 5, 2020, 4pm-7pm 

Location: Springhill Community Center, 1055 Deep Valley Road, New Freeport, PA

About Danielle Nyland

Current Position: Editor and Social Media Manager of GreeneScene Community Magazine. Danielle Nyland is a local photographer, artist, and writer. She is a Greene County native and currently lives in Nemacolin with her husband, Daytona, two sons, Remington and Kylo, and an English bull terrier, Sparky. Danielle has a background in graphic design, web publishing, social media, management, and photography. She graduated American Public University with an associate degree in web publishing and Bellevue University with a bachelor degree in graphic design. She has also attended the New York Institute of Photography. Before joining the team, she worked in retail and as an instructor at Laurel Business Institute. Outside of her work with the GreeneScene, she enjoys painting and drawing, photography, and loves reading books and watching movies – especially the scary ones! Danielle has been photographing and writing about local history and events since 2010 as part of the SWPA Rural Exploration team. She’s active in local community events and committees. She’s a board member with Flenniken Public Library and is on the committees for the Sheep & Fiber Festival, 50’s Fest & Car Cruise, and Light Up Night.