About Our Chapter
Our Families
Safe Families for Children would not exist without the hard work and dedication of our volunteer families. We have several different volunteer roles:
- Host families who open their homes to vulnerable children. Host families care for children overnight.
- Family friends who support families in need by providing transportation, daytime child care, facilitating family visits, providing tangible resources to host families and so much more.
- Family Coaches provide invaluable support to parents and children by monitoring the care of a child while he or she is in a host home. They also work with the parent to connect with tangible and community resources to make sure the family’s needs are met.
All of our volunteers are required to maintain an approval status to volunteer with Safe Families for Children. They are required to submit to a background check, home safety check, family interview, and take training. They have regular supervision and coaching with Safe Families staff.
Our Churches
We have churches who partner with SFFC by recruiting and supporting volunteers, hosting trainings, and developing networks within their congregation that can fully support a hosting and engage in a relationship with the whole family. Our partner churches vary in size and denomination, but there is a common theme among them–they all have at their core the desire to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need in our community. If this matches the culture of your church, please contact us so that we can partner together.
Our Team
Our churches and volunteer families are the driving force behind the Safe Families movement. Because the impact of SFFC is based on dedicated relationships, it takes many people working in various capacities to support families who are going through difficult circumstances. We also have staff who are passionate about growing the SFFC movement, support our churches, reach out to referring agencies, authorize host homes, provide training to volunteers, make and supervise hostings, and much more.
Shalonda Johnson
Pittsburgh Chapter DirectorShalonda Johnson comes to Safe Families PGH with many years of experience in helping families within the community of Allegheny County. She has worked with foster families, at risk youth within the local school districts, and she has had a career helping families with their housing needs. Shalonda has also volunteered her time with her church as a youth leader. Shalonda and her family live in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh. To reach Shalonda please email Shalonda.Johnson@safefamilies.net