2Gen Support for Kids and Caregivers

Research shows that children with three or more adverse childhood experiences are prone to school attendance issues, behavior problems, and academic failure.

"Jack" was on that path as a kindergartner living with the instability of foster care while his parents’ battled serious addictions. Just two years later, Jack finished 2nd grade with flying colors.

“He’s gone from spelling test scores of 0 to 100,” said Friend Jeff Press, who for the past few years has spent 3-4 hours weekly with Jack. In and out of the classroom, they have worked consistently on setting and achieving goals in the areas of School Success, Prosocial Development, Improved Health, Making Good Choices, and Plans & Skills for the Future.

“He has developed perseverance and self-management,” said Jeff, “and now does his homework right after school instead of throwing fits. He says, 'I don’t like it but if I just do it, then it’s done!' When I tell him he’s completed his required 10 minutes of after-school reading, he tells me, 'No, I have to finish the story for [clubhouse therapy dog] Soba.' This is the success story you hope for.”

Jeff is quick to point out the contributions of Jack’s teachers and parents, now reunited with their children. “It is a group effort,” Jeff said, “and it is amazing to see the progress of the whole family.”

Jeff has provided moral support, stress relief, and concrete resources to Jack’s parents through the challenges of family reunification and the pandemic. And thanks to a newly adopted "Two-Generation" approach to mentoring, Friends-Klamath Basin’s Family & Community Engagement Specialist now is available to follow up with mom and dad, freeing Jeff to focus 100% on Jack – today through his high school graduation.