Hannah’s Family Center
February 5, 2022 was a beautiful morning at Liberty Station’s NTC Park for the inaugural Hannah’s Family Center Peace In The Family 5K! Runners and walkers of all ages – from 9 months to 70 years – joined together to get moving for this heart-healthy, family-focused event for a great cause. Participants raised over $25,000 for counseling services for children and teens experiencing complex family breakups and have experienced domestic violence in their homes.
Marilyn Howe, President of HFC’s Board of Directors, emphasized that “the emotional, cognitive, and physical health effects for children who witness domestic violence are devastating.” She continued, “Thanks to the wonderful support of our sponsors and participants, Hannah’s can now help more children in our community heal from these family traumas.”
Since February is American Heart Month, the Center began their Heart of the Family Spring Fundraising Campaign with a focus on physical health. Event sponsors included the Southern California Food Allergy Institute, f45 Training, Eden IV, cDAO, Inc., Our Family Wizard, 101 Visitation Solutions, Becks Entertainment & DJ Services, Jensen’s Foods, Trader Joe’s, Dominos and Dunkin’ Donuts. Heart of the Family for March brings a focus on emotional health, and April will target financial health. With an annual budget goal of $1.2 million for 2022, the Spring Campaign goal is to raise $50,000 for comprehensive parent and child services.
“Hannah’s Family Center’s philosophy is based on a holistic approach to family life that balances all important aspects of healthy living,” shared Executive Director, Susan Griffin, who is also the founder of the organization, now in its 34th year of service to families throughout San Diego County. “Chronic stress and trauma affect all of who we are as humans so our approach to healing must be comprehensive as well.”
Through their counseling and life skills programs, Hannah’s Family Center helps families navigate unexpected loss, change, and trauma. Family challenges include complex family breakups; domestic violence along the continuum of interpersonal power and control; substance abuse, and addiction; and mental and emotional health concerns.
Hannah’s Family Center’s health and wellness programs are focused on prevention and early intervention to best reach families before the vital bonds and connections become so frayed that the parents may need to separate in order to achieve stability, health, and the ability to move forward in a positive way for all family members. These services are made possible in part by grants from The San Diego Foundation, Nordson Foundation, The Conrad Prebys Foundation, and Price Philanthropies.
Griffin says that she is more passionate today about the work of the Center than when she began, “When families come apart, children suffer. So does every person in the life of that child who loves them. For over 3 decades, we have stepped in to heal the children, help the parents find peaceful resolutions to their family conflicts, and restore hope for every single member of the families we serve. My mission now is to ensure that Hannah’s Family Center is here for another three decades of service.”
See you on February 4th, 2023 at their second annual 5K!
To sponsor or to find out more please visit www.hannahsfamilycenter.org
