Families First: Celebrating A Long And Proud Tradition Of Supporting Neighborhood Parents And Their Children

Nanette De Cillis, Families First Art current teacher

Nora Geraghty, board member, with Executive Director Paula Heitman

Families First throughout the years. Do you recognize anyone?

(photos below courtesy of Families First)

 Former Executive Director Linda Blyer (right) with then-Program Associate Maria Pagano (left)

and Sophie (center) in the 1980's 

Some of the first Families First members at the center

For the past 38 years, Families First has been an amazing resource for parents and young children in Brownstone Brooklyn. As its name indicates, families and their well-being have always been at the heart of this wonderful non-profit membership organization.
Located at 250 Baltic Street in Cobble Hill, the center offers a drop-in play space stocked with toys,  inspiring art and music classes, and parenting workshops. Most importantly, it provides support groups for young parents and caregivers.
Founded as the Brooklyn Center for Family Life by two therapists in 1979, it was re-named “Families First” in 1983. At its core, the center's main principal has always been that the support of families is fundamental to the heathy development of children.

Linda Blyer, who served as Families First executive director from the early 1980's till 2007, explained that the center quickly became a 'home away from home' for many first time parents who had moved to the City and were raising their children away from their own families.

"The center became a place to go, to connect to others," she says. 

Along the way, long lasting friendships were formed here.  Nora Geraghty,  a current Families First board member,  was brought to Families First by her mother as a child. When she became a parent, she joined the center and brought her own children. To this day, she is in communication with the friend she made at Families First when she was little.

Current Executive Director Paula Heitman speaks of the 'small town feel' which Families First provides. She points out that this sense of 'belonging' extends to caretakers, who connect with each other at the center.

Years ago,  I brought my own children to Families First. It provided a safe, loving environment that chased away the sense of isolation I felt in those first months of being a young mom. I attended the parent skill classes, learned baby CPR, and I made life-long friends. 

Quite a number of for-profit national day care franchises have opened in Carroll Gardens and  Cobble Hill of late. They may all be flashier and glitzier, but cannot duplicate the community Families First has created over almost four decades. Besides, membership fees at the center remain a true bargain.

Families First is a real gem, something unique in our neighborhood, which we all need to support and cherish. Let us make sure that this resource continues to thrive for many more generations.

If you are expecting or have a newborn baby, please attend one of their open houses and see for yourself.

Follow Families First on Facebook here. For membership information, click here.
You can donate to ensure Families First future here.