Family Nurturing Center

06/20/2026

☀️🌻 Hello, Summer! 🌻☀️

The first day of summer is here!

For many children, summer feels like freedom—later bedtimes, popsicles on the porch, trips to the park, sprinkler runs, and long sunny evenings that seem to last forever.

For parents, summer can feel a little different.

The routines change. School is out. Schedules shift. And suddenly there are many more hours to fill.

One thing we've learned over the years is that summer doesn't have to be packed with activities to be meaningful.

Children don't need every day to be extraordinary. They need time to play, explore, rest, imagine, and connect with the people they love.

A little structure can go a long way. Knowing when lunch is, having a quiet time each afternoon, or keeping a simple bedtime routine can help children feel secure while still enjoying the freedom that makes summer special.

The goal isn't a perfect summer.

The goal is a summer filled with moments you'll remember:

🍉 Watermelon juice running down little chins
💦 Sprinklers on a hot afternoon
📚 Library books piled high on the kitchen table
🌳 Picnics at the park
🌅 Late evening walks
❤️ Time together

Here's to a season of sunshine, connection, adventure, and just enough routine to help everyone thrive.

Happy First Day of Summer!

06/19/2026

🖤❤️💚 Office Closure Notice – Juneteenth 💚❤️🖤

Family Nurturing Center will be closed on Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth is sometimes called Freedom Day. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas learned they were free. It is a day to reflect on our nation's history and celebrate freedom, resilience, and the contributions of Black Americans.

It reminds us that freedom, fairness, and belonging matter for every person. It also reminds us that learning the truth about history helps us care for one another more honestly.

For families, Juneteenth can be a day to read a book together, listen to music, share food, talk about courage, and celebrate the strength and joy of Black communities.

At Family Nurturing Center, we believe every child deserves to grow up knowing they are valued, safe, and free to become who they are meant to be.

06/18/2026

🧺☀️ International Picnic Day ☀️🧺
It doesn't take much to create a special memory.

A blanket in the backyard.
A snack on the front porch.
A peanut butter sandwich cut into triangles.
A few extra minutes together.

To us, it might feel like an ordinary afternoon.

To a child, it can feel like an adventure.

Children don't measure love by how much money is spent or how elaborate the plans are. They remember how it felt to have our attention, our presence, and a little time set aside just for them.

This International Picnic Day, consider creating a simple moment with your little one. Pack a lunch and head to the park. Spread out a blanket under a tree. Have a picnic in the living room if the weather doesn't cooperate.

The location won't matter nearly as much as the connection.

Because what feels like "no big deal" to us often feels very special to a child. 💛

06/17/2026

🌱 Resilience Grows in Relationships 🌱

Resilience is often described as the ability to bounce back from challenges, but for children and families, resilience is built through connection, support, and hope.

Every day, we witness parents facing difficult circumstances with courage and determination. We see children learning, growing, and thriving when they have caring adults by their side. We see families finding strength they didn't know they had.

Resilience doesn't mean life is free from hardship. It means having the support, resources, and relationships that help us move forward through adversity.

At Family Nurturing Center, we believe every family has strengths worth recognizing and every child deserves the opportunity to grow in a safe, loving, and stable environment.

Together, we can nurture resilience, celebrate progress, and create pathways toward brighter futures.

💛 What helps your family stay resilient during challenging times?

06/16/2026

🌼 Make a Difference. Change a Life. 🌼

Every day, volunteers help Family Nurturing Center strengthen families, support children, and build a healthier community.

Whether you're interested in mentoring families, helping in our classrooms, supporting our farm program, assisting with special events, or lending a hand behind the scenes, there's a place for you here.

Your time, talents, and caring heart can make a meaningful difference in the lives of local children and families.

💚 Interested in volunteering?

📞 Call us at 541-779-5242
📧 Email [email protected]
🌐 Visit familynurturingcenter.org

Together, we can nurture resilience, strengthen families, and help children thrive.

06/15/2026

Doing Better

Most of us parent the way we were parented.

Not because we've studied child development or researched best practices, but because our parents were our first teachers. They showed us what love looked like, how families functioned, and what children needed—or what they believed children needed.

That's how family culture is created and passed from one generation to the next.

Sometimes that means carrying forward beautiful traditions, values, and strengths. Sometimes it means carrying forward ideas that we later learn aren't quite right.

Many of us heard things like, "Put that baby down, you're spoiling them," or "They're just doing it for attention."

Today, we know something different. We know that babies can't be spoiled by love. We know that children need connection, comfort, and closeness. We know that behavior is communication.

That doesn't mean our parents got it wrong.

It means they did the best they could with the information they had.

One of my favorite beliefs is simple: When we know better, we can do better.

Every generation learns something new. Every generation has the opportunity to build on what came before.

That's not disrespecting our parents. It's honoring them by continuing to grow.

Parenting has always been hard. We're all human. We're all learning as we go.

And perhaps that's how families get stronger—with each generation doing the best they can and leaving a little more wisdom behind for the next.

06/15/2026

20 Years of Nurturing: What 20 Years Has Taught Me About Children
One of the things I've learned over the past twenty years is that children are remarkable.
Not because they are unaffected by hardship.
Not because difficult experiences don't leave a mark.
But because children have an incredible capacity to grow, heal, and thrive when surrounded by caring relationships and supportive experiences.
I sometimes hear people say, "Kids are resilient."
While that may be true, I've come to believe resilience doesn't happen by accident.
Resilience is built.
It grows when children feel safe.
When they know they belong.
When they have adults who show up consistently.
When they are given opportunities to play, explore, learn, and connect.
Children don't heal simply because time passes.
They heal through relationships.
They heal through connection.
They heal when the adults around them are supported, too.
After twenty years, one of the greatest lessons children have taught me is that healing and growth are possible when we create the conditions for both.
And that's something worth believing in.
💙 Lisa O'Connor, Executive Director

06/13/2026

06/11/2026

Today I'd like to honor someone whose story is deeply woven into the story of Family Nurturing Center.

After more than 18 years of service, Dawn Del Rio is beginning a new chapter and heading to Spain with her family for new adventures.

Over the years, Dawn has served as a home visitor, group facilitator, supervisor, program manager, and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Clinician. She has supported countless children, parents, and colleagues with compassion, wisdom, and an unwavering belief in the healing power of relationships.

Dawn recently shared, "This place has been my home for so many years."

I think many of us understand exactly what she means.

Family Nurturing Center is more than a workplace. At its best, it becomes a community of people united by a shared purpose and a deep commitment to children and families. Over nearly two decades, Dawn helped create that sense of community for so many of us.

Her impact cannot be measured simply by years of service or job titles.

It lives in the families she walked alongside.
The parents she supported.
The children she helped nurture.
The colleagues she mentored.
The friendships she built.
The culture of compassion she helped create.

It is difficult to imagine FNC without Dawn's steady presence, caring heart, and thoughtful perspective. Yet one of the greatest gifts of meaningful work is knowing that the relationships we build continue long after our roles change.

Dawn, thank you for sharing your gifts with this organization for more than 18 years. Thank you for helping make FNC the compassionate and trusted place it is today.

We are excited for the adventures ahead for you and your family, even as we feel the sadness that comes with saying goodbye.

As you begin this new chapter, know that you will always remain part of the Family Nurturing Center story.

And I have a feeling this won't be the last chapter we share together.

💙 With gratitude, admiration, and love, thank you, Dawn.

Picture left to right, our children's mental health team: Stefanie Martin, Dawn Del Rio, Courtney Lucas and Beth Jaffee-Stafford

06/09/2026

Compassion begins with seeing the humanity in one another.

We believe every child, family, and community member deserves to be met with empathy, respect, and understanding. By creating spaces where people feel accepted and supported, we help build stronger relationships, deeper connections, and opportunities for growth.