PITT CO-SPONSORS ANNUAL FAMILY SUPPORT CONFERENCE

PITTSBURGH, May 8 -- Parents, community leaders, human service providers, educators, and policy makers will convene on Monday, May 21, from

7 a.m. – 4 p.m., at The Sheraton in Station Square, for the 7th annual Family Support Conference – celebrating and expanding the family support movement in Allegheny County. This year's conference theme is: "Family Support: Links To Learning." Participants will explore ways to promote educational success as a shared responsibility between parents, educators, and the whole community.

The two keynote speakers are William Shore, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Share Our Strength program, who will speak at 10 a.m. on "Creating Dynamic Learning Communities," and William E. Strickland, Jr., president and CEO of the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and Bidwell Training Center, who will address the audience at 11:45 a.m. on "Recognizing Your Link To Learning."

Allegheny County's 28 Family Support Centers, with staff trained by the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development, are the source of help for many county residents—whether it be assistance in developing parenting skills, finding tutors for their young children, or coping with the stress of unemployment. Through these Centers, local residents strengthen their neighborhoods by identifying their challenges and opportunities, and joining forces to solve those problems, using community resources. As the families learn how to help themselves, they contribute to the community, improving the quality of life for themselves and others.

The conference will feature 30 workshops, including "How To Find Quality Child Care Centers" and "How To Help Your Child Cope With Grief." Registration is $40 per person, and $25 for each additional person from the same organization. For registration, scholarship inquiry, or additional conference information, please call David Case at Pitt's Office of Child Development, at

412-624-1338.

Other sponsors of the conference include the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, and the City of Pittsburgh.

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