Fresno County Healthy Marriage Coalition

2018 Accomplishments--Altogether, 99 couples (198 people) attended 6-hour Marriage Education (ME) classes at a total of eight(8) different venues. 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.--Also, FCHMC staff presented a two-day marriage conference for a nearby church community with 28 couples (56 people) attending.--Additionally, the coalition sponsored two weekend marriage retreats with a total of 29 couples which included marriage education and time to practice together the tools learned.--The FCHMC website (www.growyourmarriage.com) was continually updated with the upcoming relationship classes and marriage retreats 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.--FCHMC utilized trained coaches at classes, helping the couples attending to learn the skills correctly to be more effective at home. FCHMC also sponsored two Prepare/Enrich certification trainings with 16 couples/32 total people becoming certified. Having more trained facilitators and volunteer mentors and coaches potentially enables FCHMC to place more mentors and classes for couples in more locations throughout the region.--Because so many marriages in churches are affected by mental illness, FCHMC organized three separate educational events on various mental health issues open to the community. In addition, the Family Mental Health group (begun last year) continued to meet twice a month to lend encouragement, support and hope to those who are affected by a family member or other loved one who has a mental health issue.--FCHMC hosted two separate breakfasts for pastors and ministry leaders to gain insight into the needs of the couples they shepherd, and to share how we may be able to work together to help strengthen and bring health to their couples (via classes, a marriage conference, training key couples to become marriage mentors, a marriage retreat, pastoral counseling).--FCHMC Staff attended numerous community meetings and other events and had individual appointments with various people throughout the area, building relationships to enhance community collaboration, informing about the importance of healthy marriages to help address many community needs, and making contacts for expanding the coalition. Staff bringing the sermon at different churches and speaking and exhibiting at a variety of events exposed more people to the benefits of healthy marriages and opportunities available through FCHMC for healthy marriage education.--FCHMC organized and conducted a community dinner event in August to celebrate marriage and to draw attention to the benefits of healthy marriages in society. This annual fundraising event for FCHMC provided an entertaining date night event 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. The theme was Teamwork in Marriage. Approximately 220 people attended.--FCHMC hosted an appreciation dinner gathering for volunteers and supporters in December. A couple testimony was the highlight of the evening