Empowering Families Through Connection and Support
Think Together’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) team plays a pivotal role in bridging families and site program managers to resources they need to realize a student’s full potential, regardless of their background.
The team of 10 wears many hats within their roles including acting as a liaison to school support services, advocating for legislation that funds expanded learning and serving as a resource for school site and district partners.
They have trained over 1,500 Think Together staff members to better understand the needs of the communities Think Together serves. In 2024 alone, the FACE team delivered nearly 8,000 informational pieces across Think Together’s regions ranging from site event flyers to family resource brochures to newsletters.
Oftentimes, our Family and Community Engagement team develops close connections to both students and parents. For one Family and Community Engagement Coordinator Sara Orellana, that meant helping a family in dire need of assistance.
While Sara was representing Think Together at a booth at a school event, a mother approached her with a plea for help. The mother confided in Sara that she no longer had a safe place for her and her children to live and were moving from one place to another. Sara took immediate action and enlisted the support of the children’s Think Together school staff, school principal and even the city mayor to ensure the family had what they needed to start a new chapter.
“Having the city involved made me feel very inspired because it made the impossible possible,” shared Sara. “At one point, folks were telling the mother that she was going to have to spend a number of days on the street, but because she found our Think Together table, I was able to use my connections in the community to help her.”
Sara went above and beyond, by putting together a budget to help the family and organized a basket with essentials like clothes and basic household items.
In addition to connecting the family to resources, Sara created a safe space for the mother to share her feelings and emotions as she steered this challenge. To this day, Sara is grateful for the outpour of support she received from our school partners, site staff and the city.
“It meant the world as an educator and as a family and community engagement coordinator for a parent to show up for their kiddos,” added Sara. “She and her kiddos are in a better place. Mom now checks in regularly to see if there’s any volunteering she can do or anything she can donate to the program to support. That really goes to show that if you put your heart into the families, they’ll bring it back to you.”
If you or someone you know is facing any hardship, please explore the resources listed below for support.
