The San Francisco Family Services Alliance (FSA), supported by Safe & Sound, successfully co-hosted the Bay Area California Family Resource Association (CFRA) Town Hall Meeting at the The Women’s Building, a non-profit hub in San Francisco. The California Family Resource Association (CFRA), a statewide network representing over 300 Family Resource Centers, hosts these town halls throughout California to discuss local advocacy priorities and shape statewide policy efforts that help families and communities thrive.

The hybrid event brought together the Bay Area’s parent leaders, Family Resource Centers, family support organizations, and policymakers. Parents’ lived experiences were central to the discussions – eleven parents, including five Spanish-speaking participants, shared their needs on virtual and in-person platforms, highlighting topics such as cross-county housing coordination, barrier-free services, cyberbullying prevention, free self-defense classes, emergency drop-in child care, and improved data management. Thanks to Crankstart, parents were compensated for their time and expressed appreciation for being heard. One parent shared, “I loved learning about the important issues in our community“, while another added, “Thank you for listening to my voice“.

CFRA will compile a summary of all the information gathered at this event to include in an overall report about all the regional town halls.

Special thanks to The Women’s Building for providing a welcoming space and interpretation headsets, to Crankstart for making it possible to compensate parents for their time, and to the California Family Resource Association (CFRA) for coming to the Bay Area. We also extend our gratitude to all the parents and organizational staff who participated. Together with the Family Services Alliance, we continue to collaborate to ensure families have the resources and support they need to thrive.