The Massachusetts Children's Trust Fund in partnership with the Thomas Chew Memorial Boys & Girls Club, celebrated the positive influences of strong families with an afternoon of free activities including arts and crafts, games, music, and food on April 18, 2009. Winners of the Families Together Art Contest were announced and prizes awarded to the winners, including two bicycles donated by the Fall River Wal-Mart store. The Children's Trust Fund works to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect throughout the Commonwealth. Fall River has been active in helping to reduce the number of incidents reported to the Department of Children and Families by providing assistance to parents through a variety of programs including a Parents Helping Parents program, the Healthy Families Collaborative, the Family Service Association's Big Friends Little Friends program, United Families and the  WIC (Women, Infants, Children) Nutrition Program. Click here to see photos of the 2006 event. For more information, contact Jodi Wolin, Chief Development Officer at the Boston office of the Children's Trust Fund, at 617-502-8761.
 

(Top row, left) Seven-year-old Baron Snizek works with his father, Rick, Editor of the Fall River Spirit, and Jo-Anne Sbrega, president of the Children’s Museum, as they make home-made ice cream. (Top row, center) Fall River resident David Collins pushes daughter Elyssa and son David into the Boys and Girls Club gymnasium. (Top row, right) Eight-year-old Jayden Macedo rolls an empty ice cream making ball as Children's Museum  Executive Director Ray Gordon watches. (Middle row, left) Sakhom and Sreymon Tieng watch as their daughter Tepie looks at her prize-winning art contest entry. (Middle row, center) Art contest winners pose in front of State Representative Michael Rodrigues and Wal-Mart manager Phil Agrela and Good Works Coordinator Chris Gillet. (Middle row, right) Jennifer Sylvia of Arbour Counseling hands out balloons at her table. (Bottom row, left) Kathryn Kucharski and Jodi Wolin of the Children's Trust Fund pose with Fall River organizer Donalda Silva. (Bottom row, center) Five-year-old Emily Lopes shows off a bag she decorated with her mother, Fernanda Lopes. (Bottom row, right) Fall River Family Service Association Big Friends Little Friends Recruitment Specialist Mary Vasconcellos puts out beads for Lisa and Emil Comolli and Dinovah Brazoban her mother to use to make bracelets.