FCSN Updates

By Dennis Baker and Leslie Leslie

Imagine ten diverse fathers from across the Greater Boston area meeting in a Framingham restaurant on four evenings to connect, share, and learn how to become more engaged, not only in their child's IEP process, but in school and community systems. This Fall, thanks to a grant from The Children's Trust, FCSN was able to make this a reality by supporting a Fatherhood Leadership pilot project, Dialogues with Dads.

 By Meghan Chapman 

Last month, FCSN proudly celebrated an important milestone for family leadership. After four months of intensive learning, reflection, and planning as part of the first-ever cohort of  FCSN’s Barbara Popper Family Leadership Institute, eleven emerging family leaders are now launching into the next eight months of implementation—putting their leadership goals into action and turning vision into impact. 

By Aceriane Leal 

For decades, the Federation has championed clear, effective communication for families across Massachusetts, and that commitment was recently honored by NAETISL (National  Association of Educational Translators and Interpreters of Spoken Languages). This recognition reflects the Federation’s role as one of the early Parent Training and  Information Centers to adopt communication practices intentionally designed to support multilingual families statewide, as well as its sustained dedication to this work over time. 

As FCSN works with Massachusetts families, we are committed to providing helpful  information and resources that empower families, engage diverse communities, and  eliminate barriers to improve life outcomes for all children and young adults, especially those  with disabilities. 

For many Massachusetts families caring for children with complex medical needs, the  simple act of putting food on the table can feel overwhelming. Between hospital stays, lost  income, and mounting expenses, food insecurity can become an invisible crisis. Thanks to  a United Way grant, The Federation was able to respond quickly and compassionately,  providing grocery gift cards that offered meals, dignity, and relief.