Fresno County Healthy Marriagecoalition

2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS--CLASSES: ALTOGETHER, 84 COUPLES (168 PEOPLE) ATTENDED 6-WEEK (12-HOUR) MARRIAGE EDUCATION (ME) CLASSES AT TEN(10) DIFFERENT VENUES. (TRAINED COACHES WERE UTILIZED AT CLASSES, HELPING THE COUPLES ATTENDING TO LEARN THE SKILLS CORRECTLY, IN ORDER TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE AT HOME.) IN ADDITION, ONE NEW CLASS FACILITATOR COUPLE WAS TRAINED. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY CONTINUING TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH CHURCHES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO REACH MORE COUPLES WITH MARRIAGE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.--RETREATS: THE COALITION ORGANIZED AND FACILITATED A WEEKEND RETREAT AT THE COAST FOR MARRIED COUPLES IN 2021, ATTENDED BY 25 COUPLES. THE RETREAT INCLUDED MARRIAGE EDUCATION, TIME TO PRACTICE THE TOOLS LEARNED TOGETHER AS INDIVIDUAL COUPLES, AND TIME FOR REFRESHMENT AND ENJOYING EACH OTHER AT THE COAST.--MARRIAGE EVENTS: TO KEEP THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY MARRIAGES IN THE FOREFRONT OF COUPLES MINDS, IN FEBRUARY A SWEETHEART DINNER EVENT WAS HELD WITH APPROXIMATELY 60 COUPLES, AND A MARRIAGE OLYMPICS EVENT WAS HELD WITH APPROXIMATELY 15 COUPLES COMING TO BUILD TEAMWORK WITH EACH OTHER IN A FUN DAY TOGETHER WITH OTHER COUPLES.--INDIVIDUAL COUPLE MENTORING WAS PROVIDED TO FIVE(5) COUPLES FOR 6 WEEKS EACH. --PASTORAL COUNSELING WAS PROVIDED TO DOZENS OF COUPLES WHO NEEDED MORE INTENSIVE ASSISTANCE. --FCHMC ALSO SPONSORED A PREPARE/ENRICH CERTIFICATION TRAINING AT ONE VENUE WITH A TOTAL OF 10 COUPLES (20 PEOPLE) BECOMING CERTIFIED OR RE-CERTIFIED TO MENTOR OTHER COUPLES USING THE PREPARE-ENRICH ASSESSMENT. HAVING MORE TRAINED FACILITATORS AND VOLUNTEER MENTORS AND COACHES POTENTIALLY ENABLES FCHMC TO PLACE MORE CLASSES AND MENTORS FOR COUPLES IN MORE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.--THE FCHMC WEBSITE (WWW.GROWYOURMARRIAGE.COM) WAS CONTINUALLY UPDATED WITH THE UPCOMING RELATIONSHIP CLASSES AND MARRIAGE EVENTS OFFERED BY THE COALITION WITH ONLINE REGISTRATION AVAILABLE. THESE AND OTHER EVENTS WERE ALSO PROMOTED WITH AN EMAIL PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.--ENCOURAGING EMAILS WERE SENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO COUPLES AND SPONSORS OF THE COALITION.--THE ANNUAL FUNDRAISING DINNER EVENT WAS HELD WITH APPROXIMATELY 100 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE TO CELEBRATE MARRIAGE AND TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE BENEFITS OF HEALTHY MARRIAGES IN SOCIETY. THE EVENT HAD THE THEME BUILDING STRONG MARRIAGES AND PROVIDED AN ENTERTAINING DATE NIGHT EVENING WITH EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AND GAMES, TESTIMONIES FROM COUPLES HELPED THROUGH FCHMC, AND FCHMC LEADERSHIP SHARING THE VALUE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE MISSION, AS WELL AS THE VISION AND NEEDS FOR THE FUTURE.