At 17 years old, Jamall Jenkins, a senior at Hempstead High School, had lost his mom, and his dad and older sister had responsibilities of their own. Jamall says, "I was left to fend for myself. I was overwhelmed." But he adds that he was "in the right place at the right time" Ð his school guidance counselor encouraged him to speak with a Family and Children's Association counselor. The counselor secured an agency scholarship stipend for Jamall, enabling him to enroll in Hofstra University, and coordinated a job opportunity.

Today at 22, Jamall is working as a head teacher of the after school program at Family and Children's/ Hagedorn Family Resource Center in Hempstead. He graduates in December with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a business minor, and he looks forward to fulfilling his passion: "to help others realize their unique capabilities."

"Family and Children's supported me materially and spiritually. I began to believe in myself," says Jamall. "I realized that there are endless possibilities, and I can dream again."

In this age of all encompassing organizations that resemble turnkey operations, Family and Children's Association can be seen as a model human service network providing a continuum of care Ð from babies in childcare to homebound seniors. Through its 40 programs, 400 employees assist nearly 30,000 people each year. Since its inception in 1985, its Scholarship Fund Programs provided 800 youth and adults with more than $1 million in college stipends. Last year, its ombudservice volunteers visited 2,981 patients in nursing and adult homes; and its Respite Care Program for children with severe emotional disabilities provided in-home care and community service to more than 117 families.

An Empowering Merger
Family and Children was established in 1998, as the result of the merger of two well-respected Long Island agencies: Children's House, which was founded as an orphanage in 1884, and Family Service Association, founded in 1958 to strengthen and assist families throughout Nassau County.

After a year of talks between the boards of each organization, the merger was finalized for two reasons, explains President and CEO Dr. Richard Dina: "Both agencies had clients with multiple problems, and although they could assist in some areas, they were not equipped in others, resulting in a complex process that didn't always help the client," and secondly, the late Nineties was "a time of change in the delivery of human services, with federal and state support declining." The expectation was that a new, larger, more visible agency would be "in a better position to provide a system of care for anyone who walked through the door."

"One of the blessings of the merger," adds Dr. Dina, " is that now in our sixth year, more than 90% of Family and Children's $26 million budget is allocated to program services."

The Team
"Our executive management team is very forward thinking," says Chief Financial Officer Mary Ann Vassallo, a Patchogue resident. "They are always searching for ways to improve the quality of service." Joining the agency in February 2003, Ms. Vassallo brings 25 years of service in the nonprofit sector, 20 of those years with the North Suffolk Mental Health Center. Although she is completing her master's degree in public health administration, her education base includes both social and financial fields Ð with accounting and business management classes at Suffolk Community College and Adelphi, and a bachelor's degree in human/community services from Empire State College. "In my position, it's extremely important to understand what the goals are for each service in order to assist in formulating better decisions in terms of allocating resources."

Nancy Cohan, director of quality assurance and care coordination, is keenly aware of clients' multiple needs and frustrations. "There are people who have dialed the agency 20 times and hung up." Yet, she knows she can confidently say, "I have a program for you, and I know this program is going to do what it's supposed to do for you."

"In my job, I form a covenant with the client, they trust me," adds Ms. Cohan, who entered the Family and Children family during her graduate school days when she was a counselor at Nassau Haven. From its mental health counseling center in Elmont to Project Independence, an independent living skills program for children in foster care in Holbrook, Family and Children's provides its continuum of care through six service divisions: Prevention and Family Support, Youth Development, Senior Care, Residential Housing, Chemical Dependency Treatment, and Counseling Services and Mental Health Treatment.

The Hagedorn Gateway
The Hagedorn Family Resource Center serves as a gateway to many of the agency's services. Three years ago, with the financial support of philanthropists Amy and Horace Hagedorn, Family and Children transformed a vacant Catholic school in Hempstead into a home for its Palmer-Walker Nursery Co-op, which provides short-term child care for parents engaged in an activity, such as taking English-as-a-Second-Language classes or seeking employment, that will improve the family economically or socially. Now the Center houses an after school child care program that fosters sound academic routines, an early childhood learning center in collaboration with the Hempstead School District, and an intergenerational mentoring program that pairs at-risk youth with senior citizens to improve interpersonal relationships and social behavior.

"The programs fit in nicely together," remarks Hagedorn Center Director Nicole Rosow. One of the Center's strengths, adds Ms. Rosow, is its presence in the heart of Hempstead. "We're getting to know the community and the community is comfortable with the Center as a place to go for help or direction." The Center opens its doors to parents who want to come to read to their children or enjoy the annual November fair with activities like arts and crafts, a singing bus driver, or on-the-spot family photographs.

In line with the agency's mission to protect children and encourage self-sufficiency, Family and Children is committed to strengthening communities. Dr. Dina, a former Catholic priest who received a doctorate in social welfare from Adelphi University, points out that the agency strongly advocates for affordable housing on Long Island and strives to promote "the development of apartments for young folks who want to stay here." In addition, the agency's English-as-a-Second-Language program helps newcomers gain confidence in community life. Family and Children builds communities, too, by participating on the boards of other organizations.

Senior citizens have a special place in Family and Children's vision of community, and they are recognized for their contributions and supported in their older years. Volunteers of all ages assist with income tax guidance, household budgeting, credit card debt, and health insurance; visit or telephone shut-ins; and advocate for older folks in nursing homes and assisted living environments. "We reach out to vulnerable seniors in need of services," comments Vice President Carol Greifer, "There's no problem too small."

After Family and Children was established in January 1998, Chief Operating Officer Phil Mickulas, who, along with Dr. Dina, formerly worked at Children's House, supervised the merging of agency staffs, with all the overlapping departments, forms and administrative tasks. Soon after the merger, Family and Children plunged into its successful application for national accreditation, and Mr. Mickulas says, the process "gave us the framework to hang the different pieces on," and blend "the two cultures into one operation." While painstakingly going through the two-year process, Family and Children developed an "outcome-measuring device that increased accountability and brought a higher level of efficiency and effectiveness."

Ms. Vassallo echoes the organization's focus on developing measurable ways to evaluate programs in relation to cost. She views her responsibility as providing fiscal services to the organization, and therefore, "looks for ways to direct dollars toward services." During her seven-month tenure, Ms. Vassallo says her fiscal department has just been "restructured, duties reassigned, and systems evaluated."

Countering Burnout
Family and Children's has "the most dedicated workforce in the nation in the nonprofit sector," remarks Dr. Dina. Noting that while people enter human service to "give back or contribute to the larger scene," he also recognizes that the profession has a high burnout rate. Family and Children strives to raise employee morale and spirit, build career ladders, provide in-service training and offer staff supervision, and holds an annual employee recognition program. "We have a mixed group of folks," remarks Dr. Dina, "but they are loyal to the organization and committed to making better lives for all people."

"The infrastructure at Family and Children allows you to do a good job," adds Nancy Cohan. "You're encouraged to think of what you can pull out to make it work for this mom, that kid or a grandmother." Ms. Cohan designed a five-part training series for elementary school cafeteria aides and playground monitors to reduce school-based aggression and violence. The Child Welfare League of America cited the series as a model program.

Seeking to recognize businesses and nonprofits that demonstrate care and concern for employees, Family and Children established its LIFFE (Long Island Family Friendly Employer) Award. Dr. Dina notes that LIFFE was picked up by Family Service Association in 1994 and mirrors a program started by the national Alliance of Families and Children. LIFFE celebrates groups that have "established very relevant and aggressive personnel policies that help families function better and handle the pressures of family life," says Dr. Dina.

Surviving Cutbacks
The 10-year decline in government support has put pressure on Family and Children, as well as other human service organizations, many of which contact Family and Children for help in developing fundraising activities or for suggestions on how to fund information technology projects. In 2000, Nassau County's fiscal woes sucked $1 million from Family and Children's "almost overnight," according to Dr. Dina. "We had to close three programs, reduce our population in a dozen others, and close a drug and alcohol treatment facility. This goes against the grain," adds Dr. Dina, who believes "the cost of solving social problems are greater than prevention." More than 70% of Family and Children's revenue comes from contracts with federal, state and local governments. However, whereas past contracts were awarded for upcoming services, current contracts put the onus on the agency to bill for services delivered.

"The majority of grants we receive do not fully support program services," points out Ms. Vassallo, who handles day-to-day fiscal management, from ensuring compliance with regulatory and funding source requirements and monthly financial reports, to developing the annual budget with the executive team. "One of today's challenges is that it is harder to raise discretionary dollars, and more organizations are vying for allocations. Contributions of over $2 million from various resources must be prioritized and allocated to programs."

Tapping private resources, Family and Children's Society of Guardians, a program developed in 1994 by Children's House, gives public exposure to individuals who have given the agency extraordinary support. In turn, it is the hope that Society members will plant the seeds in the minds of other private philanthropic supporters, to increase funding for existing programs and help finance new initiatives. The agency is also the recipient of the generosity of a host of entities, small and large - from two Smithtown Girl Scouts who collected 3,100 children's books as part of their "Gold Award" project, from children in East Meadow's W.T. Clarke Middle School who donated $500 from their Penny Harvest fundraiser, to a $7,500 donation from King Kullen to support the summer camp program serving more than 100 children.

The agency continues to seek assistance from government officials on all levels, and works with a coalition of 150 nonprofit organizations and alliances with nearly 20 state and local human welfare advocacy agencies.

On the Horizon
Dr. Dina has identified Family and Children's areas of future interest as developing additional services for the quick-expanding non-English speaking community, seeking federal funds to work more effectively with the non-insured population, and continuing its outreach with the county departments of health and efforts to secure affordable housing.

To raise community awareness, Family and Children has developed a Speakers Bureau. Through its resource development office, schools, agencies, professionals, PTAs, government departments, religious, service and fraternal groups and community organizations including Girl Scouts and AARP are connected with a cadre of experts who will attend local meetings and speak on topics from social problems to public policy.

But perhaps the agency's true secret to success are their dedicated and caring volunteer corps of 250 men and women who serve in 26 of Family and Children's 40 programs and who complement the professional staff. In 2002, these people provided more than 52,000 hours of service at a value of almost $325,000. In addition to manning Family and Children's Thrift Shop in Glen Cove, which provides clothing and small household goods to low-income families, the volunteers can be found on the job, assisting the agency in the delivery of many of its services, and beyond. During the August blackout, for instance, Sallie Moore, a 14-year volunteer in the ombudservice went to the Atlantic Adult Home in Long Beach to offer assistance. She stayed with the residents until 11:30 p.m., escorting some to their rooms and singing with others in the lounge.

"Living alone and disabled, I can empathize very readily with others in their older years," says volunteer Blanche Jossel, an 85-year-old wheelchair-bound Plainview resident, who telephones or e-mails other senior citizens to check on them and share experiences. "I ask if people want to hear something funny, and once I've got them laughing, I'm in. I like to reminisce, too." Blanche plans to continue working with Project Frail: "Volunteering makes me feel good. Every day is a gift."