by Emily Bradley (Parent Educator)

This time of year, the North Seattle College Parent Educators put out a call to our co-op communities to ask for support for our parent education program that serves homeless families in North Seattle. The Cecily Crowser Memorial Fund was started after the passing of a beloved parent educator Cesily Crowser in 2014. Cecily worked alongside Miss Amy at Sandhurst as a parent educator and was the Parent Education Coordinator at North Seattle College before her death, and she embodied the spirit of our program.

Cesily had a passion for helping people become better and more confident parents. And as she once said, “That, in turn, helps develop more confident and secure children. I love the openness and desire to live in the present that children bring to the world and feel two of the most important responsibilities of our society are facilitating early childhood learning and helping adults become more comfortable in their parenting skills.”

As a Parent Educator, I have worked with two north end Mary’s Place Shelters this school year, and hope we are able to continue offering this important resource.

The Parenting Circle Class at our local Shelters works to build community and create space for parents who are dealing with the many challenges of raising children while experiencing homelessness.  There is art, crafts, snacks and conversation.  Each week has a theme to promote connection, routine, and positive discipline strategies.  The facilitator encourages parents to reflect and connect with each other and with their children while teaching about child development and meeting parents where ever they are on their journey, raising healthy and resilient young people.  The greater Seattle community’s support of this program helps foster the opportunity for families to build bridges above the struggles of homelessness to keep family connections strong for those in the most difficult circumstances.

If you are able, please consider a donation to the Cecily Crowser Memorial Fund, which in conjunction with grant funds helps cover the costs of these important parenting resources.