Resources for Families and Communities (RFC)provided several highly acclaimed programs designed to assist economically disadvantaged families residing in Santa Clara County. RFC operated as a 501(c) (3) non profit, and was of great importance to the refugee immigrant community. Among their programs were the following: Community Development Block Grant Program- distributed funds to local grass roots organizations directly assisting their particular communities. RFC collaborated with other non-profits, service providers, and community groups to do requests for proposals, the selection process, technical assistance and program monitoring. RFC also assisted the groups with sustainability and non-profit status. Court Care Monitors--Through this award winning program, RFC placed staff at Family Court and Dependency Court to assist families in successfully navigating the legal system through a strength based approach which de-mystified the often highly technical aspects of the court system. Staff also provided referrals as necessary to help families in transition and facing challenging circumstances. Resource Coordinator Program- Funded by First 5 of SC County, assisted thousands of families with at least one child prenatal through age 5 through services and referrals from 14 Resource Coordinators, each of whom had at least two sites they serviced. Baseline assessment tools were utilized, again through a strength -based approach, and referrals and case management were provided to assist thje family in achieving wellness and stability. Services included accompanying families in the IEP (Individual Educ. Plan) process, full services for families referred by the county CPS under the differential response model, so that families might achieve stability and avoid further contact with the system through positive , strength-based activities. RFC also was a distributor of Emergency Funds through United way, assisting families with a variety of issues including, utility assistance , emergency rental assistance, etc. In addition, RFC operated a regular food distribution program, an after school homework center, and distributed monthly VTA transportation passes. RFC signed up thousands of families for health insurance, and was a key component in assisting families in the diverse immigrant communities that they assisted. Their staff included many persons from those communities. Languages spoken by RFC staff included Russian, Albanian, Cambodian, mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, English, Farsi, and various Somali, Eritrean, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Serbian, and Eastern European dialects. RFC organized and promoted an annual Conference and Multicultural Festival specifically promoting the richness and diversity of Santa Clara County. This event drew thousands of people to the music, food, crafts and performance portion of the festivities, as well as to the cutting edge presentations and panel discussions, including laypersons, service providers, academics, and highly sought after speakers. RFC was a leader in Best Practice service delivery, emphasizing and promoting inclusiveness and collaboration in all their activities. The driving philosophy of RFC was Servant Leadership, under which staff was expected to extend the highest level of respect and dignity to those whom they had the honor of serving. This attitude fostered a sense of ownership among community clients, which does more to ensure programmatic success and to not only meet, but to exceed key program indicators and deliverables. The RFC approach emphasized, enhanced, and supported the inherent strengths of the communities they served. Their annual Monica Pin Scholarship Contest, named after a former RFC employee who was tragically murdered in a domestic dispute. This scholarship recognized young persons who had achieved academic success, had overcome adverse circumstances in doing so, and who demonstrated a commitment to giving back to the community, to offer support to those future students who might one day follow in their paths. RFC strove to exceed the normal standard of Cultural Competency and to foster Cultural Respect and understanding.
Review from Guidestar