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Family Support Center reports growth: referrals, partnerships and a new 'Family Fun Night'
Summary
Director Julia Squiro reported the Family Support Center has increased internal referrals, expanded partnerships and will host a family resource event next week; administration outlined summer and fall plans for counseling, kinship supports and community outreach.
Julia Squiro, the district’s Family Support Services director, gave the board a year‑end update on the Family Support Center’s caseload, partnerships and planned outreach.
The update is notable because the center is positioning the district as a local hub to link families with counseling, basic-needs assistance and community programs; Squiro described measurable growth since February and specific summer and fall plans.
Squiro told the board that since the February report the Family Support Center’s internal referrals have climbed from 36 to “51 internal referrals specifically just for the family support center and what we can provide them.” She said the highest needs are mental‑health services and basic needs—housing, food and clothing—and that the center is actively coordinating placements with private clinicians and community agencies based on insurance, travel distance and office hours.
On school-based services, Squiro reported Horizons continues to grow and currently provides counseling to 13 students with an 8‑student wait list; she said the district expects to fill that wait list by July after staffing adjustments. Squiro described a planned partnership expansion so Vialanti can extend services and be present across more buildings later in the year. She also said the district is planning a kinship support group—partnering with Alden and Akron—for grandparents raising grandchildren, with a planned start in September 2025. Squiro noted Danny’s Helping Hands remains an active partner for providing appliances, food and clothing.
Squiro announced the Family Support Center’s first family resource event, “Family Fun Night,” scheduled next Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Intermediate building cafeteria; nine community agencies will table resources and activities and families may drop children at the cafeteria while parents vote in the gym. Squiro said outreach included a flyer, the superintendent’s message, social media and principal communications; she reported positive interest from community partners and one athletic league that reached out to table and explore future collaborations.
Board members praised the rapid growth and noted the center has attracted new private providers who proactively reached out to partner with the district. Squiro said her short‑term goals include maintaining partnerships, continuing community needs assessments each fall and spring, and making provider information available on the district website so families can access supports directly.
Less critical: Squiro said many partnering providers prefer to come to families rather than require families to travel long distances; the farthest current partner was described as a downtown Buffalo provider willing to travel for appointments.
