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Strengthening Families
Community Library Project
NH Public Libraries Are Winners in NH Children’s Trust Fund Project
In 2007, the New Hampshire Children’s Trust Fund celebrated 20 years of “keeping [NH’s] children safe and families strong” by providing resources for communities to prevent child abuse and neglect. NHCTF believes that the key to keeping children safe is by supporting parents. With this goal in mind, NHCTF has launched a statewide “Strengthening Families in Community Libraries Project.” The Family Resource Connection at the NH State Library has been an active partner in this project. 
The objective of the Community Libraries Project is to provide essential information about parenting, managing day-to-day stress, nutrition, fitness, child behavior, and child development to each of the public libraries in New Hampshire. Bearing in mind that most communities have a public library, NHCTF hopes to strengthen the 160,000 New Hampshire families with children by providing parenting resources in a publicly accessible location—the public library.
Each sponsored NH public library will receive a portable rack with selected parenting resources, including information from community and statewide family support organizations, as well as other recommended parenting materials. In addition, each public library will be given a 12-volume set of the nationally acclaimed “I Am Your Child” parenting DVD series produced by Rob Reiner, intended for use according to the needs of each local community.
Titles in the “I Am Your Child” Parenting DVD series include:
- A Child with Special Needs
- The First Years Last Forever
- Preparing for Parenthood
- Quality Child Care
- Ready to Learn
- Safe from the Start
- Your Healthy Baby
- Discipline: Teaching Limits with Love
- Food and Fitness Matter: Raising Healthy, Active Kids!
- Stop Smoking Now
- To Be a Father
- Why Early Childhood Matters
To date, 105 libraries have received sponsorships for the Community Libraries Project. Click here to view the list of libraries.
The following NH businesses, foundations and individuals are contributing sponsors:
- Verizon Foundation
- Samuel P. Pardoe Foundation
- Samuel P. Hunt Foundation
- Bank of America
- Fidelity Investments
- Saul O. Sidore Memorial Foundation
- Merrimack County Savings Bank Foundation
- First Colebrook Bank
- Mary Alice & Kent Warner
- Representative Betsy McKinney
New Hampshire families and public libraries are not the only beneficiaries of this project—future generations will also profit. Parents and relatives will benefit from the gifts of parenting resources and supports, which will in turn directly influence their children. The enhanced exposure of families to community resources—in particular public libraries—will open the proverbial “door to literacy,” and be cause for celebration throughout New Hampshire’s communities.
A $500 sponsorship will support this project in one public library. To sponsor a library or a group of libraries contact us at info@nhctf.org.