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The AAHMI is a component of the ACF Healthy Marriage Initiative and more
specifically promotes a culturally competent strategy for fostering healthy
marriage and responsible fatherhood, improving child well-being and
strengthening families within the African American Community.
AAHMI Mission To promote and strengthen the institution of healthy marriage
in the African American community.
For more information visit www.acf.hhs.gov/healthymarriage/aa_hmi/AAHMI.html
The National Partnership
for Community Leadership (NPCL),
formerly known as the National Center for Strategic
Nonprofit Planning and Community Leadership, is
a nonprofit organization created for charitable and
educational purposes. The mission of NPCL is to improve the
governance and administration of nonprofit, tax-exempt
organizations and strengthen community leadership through
family and neighborhood empowerment. This website provides
details about the public and customized workshop series
offered by NPCL to help community-based organizations and
public agencies better serve low-income parents and
families.
For further information contact:
Dianna Durham-McLoud, Director
Public Policy
National Partnership for Community Leadership (NPCL)
(708) 206-2448 or
(708) 206-2449 or
DDMcLoud7@aol.com or visit www.npcl.org
In addition to celebrating marriage in the Black community we need to create
institutions that help to maintain and support marriage as well. These steps will guide you in your efforts to build a Community Healthy
Marriage Initiative (CHMI) in your community and help develop potential for
receiving government resources.
- Write
your strategic plan. In
order to create legitimacy for your effort, it is important that you develop
a strategic plan to share with potential allies and supporters.
Briefly describe your goals. What will be your focus? (e.g., marriage
preparation, education or enrichment, mentoring,
abstinence education or a combination) What population will you serve?
(teens, single parents, fathers
or couples) How will you deliver these services?
- Develop a working team.
Your team should include a group who share a common commitment and willing
to contribute time on a regular basis.
- Volunteers
increase your capacity. College
interns can donate 10-20 hours per week helping you organize a community
initiative. Interns can help organize events, write letters, make phone
calls, and assist with fundraising and proposal writing. Identify three
local colleges and universities from which to recruit interns.
- Plan at least one meeting every six months to recruit new supporters. Invite
community, religious, and government leaders for a meeting to discuss your
local community healthy marriage initiative. We can help recruit speakers
and design an agenda.
- Develop
a strategy and capacity for delivering marriage education and support
services, a)
identify and organize marriage education and preparation services in the
community, b) distribute information on services available, c) locate the
needed facilities, and d) develop training programs to expand capacity.
- Sponsor
at least two Marriage Celebration activities every six months. These
activities could include an awards banquet, free dates for newlyweds, and a
variety of other activities to celebrate marriage. Such events let your
community know that marriage matters.
This
6-step plan will help lay the groundwork for a Community Healthy Marriage
Initiative and help your coalition compete for government funding opportunities.
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