How We Started

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY!

Families Helping Families Resource & Recreation Center, Inc. is a Staten Island based not-for-profit corporation that was organized January 7, 2008 by seven families whose lives have been touched by a loved one with a disability.

Families helping Families Resource & Recreation Center, Inc (FHF) provides disabled individuals and their families the full level of support and education necessary to successfully cope with and overcome the challenges associated with disabilities at no charge. The free services of FHF are available to any family coping with a disability, regardless of the type of disability, geographic location, or financial status of the family. FHF will provide a comprehensive level of support and guidance through conducting disability related research and education, educational advocacy, and a wide variety of support groups, recreational programs and activities. These activities include organized playgroups, technology, homework help programs, social skills clubs, and a wide assortment of workshops.

FHF will utilize computer technology to teach families how to use the internet to learn about their child’s disability, research treatments, specialists, medications, services and system supports, as well as disability laws.

The experienced staff at FHF will provide a full level of support and proven expert educational advocacy for parents seeking appropriate services and education for their special needs child. Through these efforts, FHF will assist parents in understanding their child’s educational and clinical evaluations and will provide guidance, direction, support and assistance to parents in navigating through the complicated maze of obtaining special educational services. Experienced and highly qualified Advocates from FHF will accompany and represent parents at all school based meetings and educational hearings for their child or family member.

In an effort to support the entire family, FHF will host a variety of support groups for children with disabilities and their siblings, parents, grandparents, caregivers etc. The Center will also offer supervised playgroups and organized family outings, trips, and events equipped with support staff.

FHF will also provide a variety of recreational activities for families with disabled children. These activities will be integrated to include both disabled and non-disabled participants. These programs will offer a diverse spectrum of recreational programs such as Mommy & Me classes, theater production groups, sports teams, Girl and Boy Scout troops, and social clubs. Each of these are activities in which children with disabilities typically are unable to participate for fear of ridicule, judgment, and non-acceptance.

We invite you to browse through our new and ever growing website and please feel free to contact us at anytime for any questions, needs, or suggestions.