One of the many United Fund agencies that your one gift helps is the Jefferson DeFrees Family Center, a community-centered, family-oriented organization which strives to promote and encourage opportunities for all to grow through interaction, education, awareness and recreation. The JD Family Center offers child care services, wellness classes, a Fitness Center, meeting rooms and community service projects, all from its convenient downtown location at 207 Second Avenue.
Providing children with quality early learning programs is a priority for the Jefferson DeFrees Family Center. The facility, awarded a Pennsylvania Keystone STAR 4 ranking, operates classrooms for children ages 2 through 12 which include full day care, preschool, pre-kindergarten, PA Pre-K Counts, before and after school care, no school day care and summer programs. Convenient hours, 6:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., downtown location and affordable care allow families to meet their child care needs while children learn and grow in a safe, educational and supportive atmosphere. It has been proven through testing that children who have attended our classes score higher and are better prepared for their school years.
After School programs for children in kindergarten through sixth grade are held at the Jefferson DeFrees Family Center. Transportation from the city schools for students is provided by the Warren County School District. This program offers a snack, homework assistance, and teacher led activities, along with indoor and outdoor recess.
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Your one gift helps the Jefferson Defrees Family Center
CASA of Warren and Forest Counties has educated 45 citizen volunteers who now are equipped to help their community understand the Foster Care system. These court appointed community members have a greater understanding of family dynamics, addictions, mental health, child development and many of the laws that govern us all. Children with a CASA spend less time in court and in placement which allows a safe, nurturing home to be located in the shortest time possible. CASA has served 69 of Warren and Forest counties most vulnerable children; abused and or neglected under the Courts jurisdiction.
Staying healthy is easy with JD Family Center's classes and Fitness Center. Low impact and senior aerobics, and yoga are a few of the class offerings. The Fitness Center equipment includes a cable machine, elliptical machine, treadmills, exercise and recumbent bikes, free and hand weights. Susan Toombs, a certified trainer offers personalized exercise programs, equipment training and nutritional tips to help you with your fitness goals.
As part of the Jefferson DeFrees Family Center's commitment to the community, meeting rooms are provided to non-profit groups at a minimal charge. Among those who take advantage of the meeting rooms and the kitchen facility are Bollinger Enterprises, the Special Olympics, Zonta, and the Kiwanis Club of Warren to name just a few. In 2011 40,000 individuals took advantage of the programs made available.
Community service projects include the Resource Directory which contains information about housing, employment, health, support groups and more of Forest and Warren Counties, an on-line version of the directory can be found at www.AskTheJD.com. The Project Kidsafe program provides an opportunity for children age 6 months and older to have free of charge fingerprinting and photo identification packets. Over the past 12 years 6000 children have received photo identification packets. The photo identification is the single most important tool in helping to recover missing children and a must have item for parents.
To learn more about the Jefferson DeFrees Family Center, call or stop by 207 Second Ave., 723-6350 or visit on-line at www.jdfamilycenter.org.