CFAR 15th Anniversary Benefit Gala
Will Be held on Saturday May 9th 2009
Please read about our purpose
below
<------ use the buttons on the side to walk you through our Gala Activities
CFAR was founded in 1994 under the name, Center for Growth
and Development. Maryann C. Volk, founder and current Executive Director, was a
former teacher & principle with the Archdioceses of Philadelphia. During her
tenure she became acutely aware of a growing vacuum between struggling children
in school and families struggling to survive in the community. She witnessed
families first hand facing serious issues, ones that required greater support
than she could offer from the context in which she served them. Essentially,
they had nowhere to turn for support and help; the limited resources available
in the community compounded the problems they often faced.
Among the most neglected and underserved population was
that of single parents -hardworking, caring individuals who made too little
money to make ends meet and too much to get assistance. These folks falling
between the cracks in the community were especially vulnerable to most epidemic
social ills pervasive in families where children’s emotional needs were going
unmet in the struggle to survive. Maryann was propelled into action; she set
out to cover the cracks and catch those falling families needing help.
CFAR obtained a 501c(3) with the help of a pro bono
attorney, Philip Hughes, Jr. With the purchase of a corner row home in
Northeast Philadelphia, CFAR opened its doors to its first client in November
1994, with one room and one therapist. With your help and the help of
foundations such as the: Nelson Foundation, William Penn Foundation, Davenport,
Connelly, Hamilton, Pollux, & the Patrician Kind Foundation, CFAR was able to
get off the ground and begin serving families. These foundations recognized the
importance of our mission and made generous contributions to support our
determination, catching those falling families in need of acknowledgement and
support.
Today CFAR employs more then 14 therapists at any given
time. We provide cutting edge services to Philadelphia families in collaboration
with colleges and universities, higher institutions of learning committed to the
next generation of dedicated souls seeking to help families in need. Falling
families are becoming whole again, and truly taking wing.
This May 9, CFAR will hold its 15th annual
Gala to help support the center’s growth. With your help and contribution our
center can continue helping families in need and CFAR can continue to grow to
meet the needs of our clients. Your generosity will ensure that CFAR will
continue to exist to help those in need of guidance and support.
