19th Annual Meld July 4th Classic Run & Walk 2011
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Rockford MELD
MELD provides programs and services for young parents and their children in our community. Rockford MELD is a non-profit social service agency. MELD offers emergency shelter and housing, parenting information, life and job skills training, support and resources and prevention education. MELD's mission is guiding young parents to build a strong family and lead a responsible life by providing shelter, education and life skills training.
Information for Moms
MELD: A Testimonial
The challenges that go along with being a mother are endless. Imagine being a teenager and having to take on those same struggles. Yolanda Cruz, a local mother, found the help she needed at Rockford MELD~a local organization who provides support to young families. Yolanda joins me know to talk about how MELD helped her. (Full Story)
MELD: How the Community can Help
The number of young men and young women who become parents in their teens continues to rise and as the numbers grow, the need for community support does as well. Many times these young parents have nowhere to turn. Mike Robinson, board president from Rockford MELD is here to talk more about how the community can help. (Full Story)
MELD: What We Have to Offer
Being a parent is a tough job and for people who become parents in their teens, it can be even more of a struggle. There’s a local organization whose goal is to provide young parents with support that will help them build a strong family. Karen Tilly from Rockford MELD is here to talk more about what they offer. (Full Story)
Rockford MELD FAQ
Q: How is MELD helping to break the cycle of teen pregnancy
A: Many pass MELD moms are proof that MELD programs have assisted them to make better decisions, become better parents, prevent them from continuing to be homeless and have helped lead them to becoming successful independent members of our community and society
Q: How is MELD helping to break the cycle of teen pregnancy?
A: Years ago when MELD started (30 years this year) in 1981 we were Mother's Establishing Life's Direction.
And now we continue with the same acronym. However, now we include the young dads. We have kept the MELD acronym but now the dads by saying we are Moms and Dads Establishing LIfe's Direction. MELD is here to help them get on the right path as a young parent.
Q: Do families actually get off the public aid and welfare system after being at MELD?
A: Yes, we have many families that are successes and have success stories about where they are today in their lives, and they know they would not be where they are today, if not for the support, information, and guidance they received from MELD as a teen parent.
Q: Why did MELD turn away so many young homeless mothers and children every year?
A: MELD now has capacity at our homeless shelter (shelter which houses young moms that are between the ages of 17 1/2 to 21, who are pregnant and/or parenting) for 8 total people. Until two years ago and for 20 years had a shelter that housed 16. Due to funding cuts and grants that were not awarded to us after 20 years, we were forced to go to 8 beds. These beds are only for this age group and teens moms and children, not fathers.
So with less beds, we have turned more away each year that are homeless. In the past years we turned away a total of over 500 people (moms and children) of which 200 were ones that came to us more than one time during year and remained homeless.
Families can stay at the shelter for up to 121 days- which is imperative if we are going to make a difference in a life of a young parent and their family.
Q: Where does MELD get their funding?
A: MELD receives federal, state and local funding including Youth Services Network and United Way. We depend heavily on donations to meet our budget and provide the programs in the community. We also depend of fund raising events for financial support. Many indivduals, churches, corporations and businesses support MELD in our efforts to provide programing for a young families. Our programs and services are VITAL for the success of the young families in our community.
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Contact Information
Address: 3703 N. Main Street #107City, State, Zip: Rockford IL, 61103
Phone: 815-633-6353
Email: ktilly@rockfordmeld.org
Website: http://www.rockfordmeld.org
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