Serving as a Family Resource Center
Category: News
Strengthening Roots While Reaching New Heights
Any Baby Can serves as a family resource center in Austin, Texas, bringing referrals, resources, and community space to local families with young children.
When Any Baby Can first opened its doors as CEDEN Family Resource Center in 1979, our office was a hub of activity for the community. With on-site classes, a free supply closet, and access to resources, Any Baby Can has always been a place where people can come for support.
Since then, we have moved buildings and operated primarily as a home visiting organization, providing services directly to families in their homes or other safe spaces. As we move toward our 50th anniversary, we’re returning to our roots and looking to re-establish our office as a physical place for the community.
"When we invest in families early and provide a strong network of support, there is lasting change for children and our entire community. We've seen firsthand that families don't just need resources. They need relationships, trust, and a place where they feel supported. That's what we are hoping to provide as a Family Resource Center," says Marie Gonzales LBSW, Senior Director of Family Strengthening and Education at Any Baby Can.
What is a Family Resource Center?
The National Family Support Network describes a family resource center as a welcoming hub designed to strengthen families. However, there is no Texas state-level or federal definition for "family resource centers." Each site is unique. Family Resource Centers can serve varied communities, be housed in different places (for example at a preschool, clinic or stand-alone), and provide a variety of community resources.
What Family Resource Centers have in common is that they:
- Provide a hub for family resources and referrals
- Convene the neighborhood and surrounding areas
- Offer on-site events, support, training and more
- Include parent leadership and community-led involvement
Learn more about the Texas Family Resource Center Collective and Family Resource Center (FRC) model at: https://tacfs.org/project/family.
Does Austin have any Family Resource Centers?
In late 2024, Any Baby Can partnered with the Texas Center for Child and Family Studies and St. David’s Foundation to formalize our role as a Family Resource Center in Austin and Central Texas. This is an exciting step forward in our mission to strengthen local families.
Staff members from Any Baby Can, as well as El Buen Samaritano, completed the NFSN Standards of Quality training. Since then, we have participated in collaborative calls and visits with other agencies and Family Resource Centers to share ideas, learn and set priorities for the years ahead.
TACFS says, "This isn’t just about adopting a model. It's about cultivating hubs of support that feel like home for families and equipping them to thrive."
This shift affirms the work Any Baby Can has been doing for years and expands our ability to reach more parents and children. We’re bringing our talents, techniques, resources and expertise to a broader community.
You can read the full report from St. David's Foundation here: https://stdavidsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Final-Report-SDF.pdf
When can I access family resources through Any Baby Can?
Families can already access resources through Any Baby Can! Our office has a supply closet with formula and diapers, on-site parenting classes, support groups and much more. We host public events on-site and online, which are open to all families in the community.
The Any Baby Can office is housed at 6207 Sheridan Avenue, Austin Texas 78723, just off of U.S. 290 and I-35 in north-central Austin. All families are welcome to seek support at the Any Baby Can office during our business hours, even if they're not enrolled in our services.
We also help families find the services they need over the phone, so give us a call at 512-454-3743! Whether through Any Baby Can or one of our many partners, we're able to connect families to resources.
What is the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) and how do they help serve the community?
The Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) is a group of current and former parents who have received Any Baby Can services. They share input, concerns and suggestions for things like outreach and advocacy. Incorporating parent voice and promoting community leadership is a key part of the Family Resource Center model. We anticipate that parent and community leadership will continue to grow.
What changes will the families and supporters see?
Any Baby Can has been at the Sheridan Avenue location for 10 years, serving as a place parents can go for support. Our vision is to expand community resources. Families will see us bring more resources into our building, offer on-site support, expand our free supply closet, and have more community involvement.
We're also working to make the physical space more open (longer hours!), more welcoming, and create opportunities to integrate programs more holistically.
"We'll be a hub where families can access services and build connections during both everyday challenges and times of crisis. They can connect with other families and build relationships," adds Marie Gonzales LBSW, Senior Director of Family Strengthening and Education at Any Baby Can.
Community organizations can expect us to expand partnerships and collaborations to continue improving how we serve families. Donors and stakeholders may see new needs arise as we serve a broader set of families. At our heart, we are and will always be an agency committed to strengthening families in Central Texas.
RELATED RESOURCES
Our History
Any Baby Can has a 47+ year history in empowering local families.
In-Home and On-Site Services
Get the support your family needs by enrolling in services or attending a class.
Resource Directory
Find partner organizations supporting families and children.
THANKS TO OUR MISSION PARTNERS
Investments from our supporters create long-term benefits for thousands of families across Central Texas. Join us in building a community where all families and children thrive.
