Families First

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

✨👠 ROCK THE RUNWAY FUNDRAISER! 👠✨
Get ready for an unforgettable evening of fashion, fun, and fundraising! 💃🏽🎶

📅 October 3rd, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
📍 Vineland Station — Whiteville, NC 28472

🎟️ Tickets are selling FAST! Don’t wait to get yours!

We would absolutely LOVE to see you there as we come together to support a great cause and Rock the Runway! ❤️

📣 Tell a friend, bring a friend, and share this post! The more, the merrier!

✨ Grab your tickets and join us for a night to remember! ✨

08/26/2026

💜 Employee Spotlight: Maria Andres 💜

We are proud to spotlight Maria Andres, our LatinX Outreach Advocate with Families First!
Maria is a dedicated and hardworking member of our team who goes above and beyond to support our survivors and the communities we serve. She provides translation and language support not only for our team, but also for others she meets who may need assistance navigating services and resources.

Maria brings compassion, patience, and genuine care to everything she does. Her commitment to making sure survivors feel heard, understood, and supported is truly valued.

Outside of her work, Maria loves plants, and her nurturing spirit shines through both her passion for caring for them and the way she cares for the people around her.

Thank you, Maria, for your hard work, your heart, and the difference you make every day. We are grateful to have you as part of the Families First family! 💚🌱

08/25/2026

💜 Families First is Here to Support You! 💜
Sometimes life can feel overwhelming, and knowing where to turn for support can make all the difference.

At Families First, we are committed to helping individuals and families access support, resources, education, and services that can help build safer, healthier, and stronger futures.

Whether you need guidance, resources, someone to listen, or help connecting with available services, you don’t have to navigate it alone.

Our mission is to identify and rectify issues related to domestic violence and sexual assault in Columbus and Bladen counties.

If you or someone you know could benefit from our services, reach out to learn more about how we may be able to help.

24/7 Crisis line: 910-641-0444

08/24/2026

☕💜 Thank You, Starbucks Partners! 💜☕

Thank you to our local Starbucks partners for nominating Families First, Inc. for a award!

We’re proud to be selected for a Neighborhood Grant from The Starbucks Foundation, thanks to the Starbucks partners in our community who recognized the work we do to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault as well as their families.

We are truly grateful for this investment in our community and for the continued support of our mission! 💜

Learn more about Neighborhood Grants: https://share.google/4vglNyt1tzZ7K5X56

08/19/2026

💜 THANK YOU, COMMUNITY! 🩵

Because of the incredible generosity of our community, 15+ children are heading back to school with the supplies they need to start the year with confidence! 🎒✏️📚

Even more meaningful, 5 of these children are currently staying in our shelter or have stayed in our shelter this year. Your donations are helping make sure that, even during some of the most difficult circumstances a family may face, children can still experience the excitement of a new school year. 💜🩵

Every backpack, notebook, pencil, folder, and supply donated may seem like a small thing but to a child and family rebuilding their lives, it means so much.

To everyone who donated supplies, gave financially, shared our needs, or simply helped spread the word: THANK YOU for showing these children that their community cares about them. 🩵💜

This is what happens when a community comes together. You helped make a difference! 🫶

08/18/2026

💜 SERVICE SPOTLIGHT: CRISIS THERAPY & HEALING THROUGH MOVEMENT 🩵

When someone reaches out to Families First during one of the most difficult moments of their life, they don’t have to navigate the next steps alone.

🩵 Crisis Therapy Referrals 💜
We help survivors connect with appropriate counseling and therapy resources when they need additional emotional and mental health support following trauma. Our advocates can help survivors understand their options and connect them with resources that fit their needs.

🧘‍♀️ Yoga & Healing Through Movement Referrals 🧘
Healing involves more than talking about what happened. We also connect survivors with trauma-informed yoga and movement opportunities that can support relaxation, mindfulness, body awareness, and the healing process.

At Families First, we believe survivors deserve options, support, and someone in their corner as they move forward.

You don’t have to heal alone. We’re here to help you find the support that’s right for you.
Families First, Inc. Crisis Line: 910-641-0444

08/17/2026

What Does an Advocate Do?

There can be some confusion about what advocacy services actually look like. So, let’s break it down.

WHAT WE DO:
💜 Listen and provide a safe, supportive space
🩵 Help survivors understand their options
💜 Create safety plans
🩵 Provide crisis intervention and emotional support
💜 Connect survivors with community resources and services
🩵 Provide court accompaniment and help navigate the legal system
💜 Assist with accessing shelter and other safety resources
🩵 Help survivors advocate for themselves and make informed decisions
💜 Support survivors throughout their journey, at their pace and on their terms

WHAT WE DON'T DO:
We don't make decisions for survivors.
We don't tell survivors what they have to do.
We don't determine the outcome of a case.
We don't replace law enforcement, attorneys, medical professionals, or the court system.

Our job is to support, inform, empower, and walk alongside survivors. 💜

Advocacy isn't about taking control, it's about helping survivors regain control of their own lives.

That is what Families First, Inc. is here for. 💜

08/14/2026

We are incredibly grateful to the Tabor Correctional Institution Men’s Club for your generous monetary donation and for choosing to support the important work we do.

Your kindness will help us make a meaningful difference in the lives of the domestic violence and sexual assault clients we serve. Every contribution helps provide hope, support, resources, and a reminder to survivors that they are not alone.

Thank you for believing in our mission and for helping us continue to serve and empower those in need. Your generosity truly makes a difference! 💙

08/13/2026

Families First needs YOUR help!
We try to provide school supplies to our Bladen and Columbus current/future clients. While you are back to school shoppin' for your own cool kiddos, please consider purchsing a few items for those that may be living in crisis. Our Elizabethtown and Whiteville offices say, “THANK YOU!!!”

Please bring all items to either Families First office in Whiteville (121 W Main St, Whiteville NC 28472) or Elizabethtown (200 W Broad St, Elizabethown NC 28337)

If you have any questions, call 910-862-2534 or 910-642-5996.

Ideas from around both counties:
Backpacks/Lunchboxes/Pencil Pouches
Pocket Folders
Composition Notebooks (Single & 3-Subject)
Notebook Paper (Wide Ruled & College Ruled)
Graph Paper
3-Ring Binder (1, 1.5 & 2 inch)
Earbuds or Small Headphones
Crayola Crayons, Markers, Colored Pencils
Scissors (all sizes)
Highlighters
Calculators
Notecards & Post Its
Glue Sticks & White School Glue
Pencils (Mechanical & Wooden)
Erasers & Pencil Erasers
Dry Erase Markers (Skinny)

Also if you have any gently used/NOT broken phones and/or chargers those also help current and future clients.

Thank you to our community for all you do for survivors. Every donation matters!