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Project Family first

Supporting Families During Difficult Times

Project Family First is a culturally specific non-profit that provides prevention, intervention, and system navigation services to eliminate the disproportionate representation, extended foster care stays, and elevated rates of parental rights termination experienced by Black children and families in Oregon’s child welfare system.

With children’s safety and wellbeing as our paramount concern, we deliver culturally responsive prevention services including family stabilization support, strengthening kinship and community networks, and culturally specific resource connections to keep families safely together. Our intervention services provide family advocacy and case navigation when families are at risk of or experiencing child welfare involvement. When separation occurs, we facilitate system navigation for prompt, safe reunification.

Through direct services and systems advocacy informed by lived experience, we empower Black families navigating a system with historical and ongoing biases, working toward measurable reductions in racial disparities and a more equitable child welfare system for all Oregon families.

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Our Services

All services are confidential, non-judgmental, and focused on the best interests of your family.

Family Advocacy

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At Project Family First, we understand the emotional and practical challenges families encounter within the child welfare system. We provide personalized advocacy and intensive support for parents and caregivers navigating foster care processes. Our dedicated advocates empower families by clearly explaining their rights, facilitating communication with agencies, and strategically working to ensure children remain safely at home or achieve timely reunification. We also offer preventative services, proactively addressing concerns before foster care involvement becomes necessary.

Service Navigation & Resource Connection

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We connect families with culturally responsive and trauma-informed services to address immediate and ongoing needs. Our goal is to preserve cultural identity, maintain familial and community connections, and mitigate the impacts of systemic inequities. We ensure families have holistic, community-centered support, whether it's access to mental health support, legal services, housing assistance, or material resources. Preventative referrals and resources are available to families seeking early interventions to strengthen family stability.

Educational Workshops & Community Engagement

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Our workshops educate communities, organizations, and mandated reporters on the detrimental effects of surveillance-oriented child welfare practices, particularly on Black families and families experiencing poverty. By transforming perspectives and practices, we advocate for shifting from surveillance to support, equipping community members and professionals to address underlying needs and prevent unnecessary family separation effectively. Our workshops also highlight the importance and availability of preventative services to support families proactively.

Equity Promotion

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Project Family First actively advocates for systemic reform to address and reduce the disproportionate representation of Black children in Oregon's foster care system. We collaborate with policymakers, community leaders, and stakeholders to influence legislation, policy practices, and systems change. Through our strategic advocacy, we strive toward equity, justice, and systemic transformation, benefiting all children and families in Oregon.
Percent of Total Children Served in Foster Care, by Race, Disproportionality Index, and Federal Fiscal Year: The table displays the percentage of total children served in foster care by race, along with the Disproportionality Index (DI) for the federal fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022. Black or African American: FFY 2020: 6.2% (DI 1.7) FFY 2021: 7.1% (DI 1.9) FFY 2022: 7.4% (DI 2.0) Asian/Pacific Islander: FFY 2020: 1.5% (DI 0.3) FFY 2021: 1.5% (DI 0.3) FFY 2022: 1.7% (DI 0.3) White: FFY 2020: 65.3% (DI 1.0) FFY 2021: 65.4% (DI 1.0) FFY 2022: 63.9% (DI 1.0) Hispanic (any race): FFY 2020: 18.2% (DI 0.8) FFY 2021: 18.6% (DI 0.8) FFY 2022: 19.0% (DI 0.8) American Indian or Alaska Native: FFY 2020: 4.9% (DI 3.1) FFY 2021: 4.7% (DI 3.3) FFY 2022: 4.7% (DI 3.2) Unable to Determine: FFY 2020: 3.9% (DI n/a) FFY 2021: 2.7% (DI n/a) FFY 2022: 3.2% (DI n/a)
Did You Know?

 In Oregon, the ratio of White children in foster care compared to Black children is an alarming 1:2. Even more concerning is that studies have revealed that once Black children enter the foster care system, they tend to remain in care for longer periods. Despite this glaring disproportion, the Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare program does not yet have a targeted or customized strategy to rectify this long-standing issue.

About Us

Project Family First (PFF) is driven by a deep commitment to ensuring the well-being of Black families entangled in the child welfare system. Our founder  is a former Child Welfare Worker with a unique perspective. She has witnessed firsthand racial and class-based biases in the Oregon child welfare program. She also recognizes the glaring inadequacies in its policies, procedures, and practices and their lack of motivation to address them. She started PFF because she realized the community needed to step up and fill the void left by systemic neglect. Our children deserve better

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Theory of Change

At Project Family First, our theory of change serves as the guiding compass for our mission. By providing culturally informed resources, advocacy and support, we aim to break down the barriers perpetuating Black children’s overrepresentation in foster care and contribute to a future where every child in Oregon can thrive in a safe and equitable environment.
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Make a Difference Today

At Project Family First, we are on a mission to create a more equitable child welfare system, where every child, regardless of their race, grows up in a safe and nurturing environment. Our work is rooted in empowerment, advocacy, and community support. We believe in the power of collective action to bring about lasting change.
If you’re interested in learning more about our services, becoming a sponsor, or volunteering with us, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Your support can make a difference in the lives of those in need.
Assistance in Accessing Community Resources and Services:
We provide referrals to culturally informed resources, empowering them with knowledge and the ability to access needed resources. We also believe in the importance of preserving cultural heritage and strengthening the bonds within the community. Our cultural connections services assist foster youth and families in reconnecting with their roots and heritage.
Advocacy and Equity Promotion:

We actively work to drive policy and system changes to combat the overrepresentation of Black children in the Oregon foster care system. Our advocacy efforts aim to create lasting, systemic change that benefits all children in Oregon.

Support for parents as they navigate child welfare:
We understand that facing the foster care system can be daunting. Our organization provides personalized support, guidance and advocacy to parents and caregivers, helping them understand the intricacies of the system and access the resources needed to keep their children out of foster care or facilitate a safe return home.
Educational Workshops:
These services would be designed to increase awareness of the disproportionate representation of Black children in the Oregon foster care system and provide culturally competent resources and support to families and communities.