Reweaving the Fabric of Society:
One Conversation at a Time
Be Strong Families is a national non-profit organization that has been preventing child abuse and neglect through community-based, peer-to-peer activities since 2012.
Transform the Conversation
Be Strong Families strives to have the next conversation—to go where others are not yet going, to approach pressing issues in ways that are fresh and real. We offer technical assistance and trainings to create peer-to-peer discussions that promote vitality, provide emotional healing and foster peace. These transformative conversations not only prevent violence and fight oppression, they give hope, create amazing leaders, and help overlooked communities thrive. We partner with a diverse team of community leaders, teachers, social workers, small business owners, parents, youth, thinkers, and dreamers to lead online webinars, workshops, and professional development trainings that further shared mission.
Our Mission
Our mission is to partner with organizations, government, parents, and youth to reweave the fabric of society, one conversation at a time.
Our Vision
Family members are connected to each other and to the larger community, intentionally building interdependence, social harmony and belonging so that everyone receives what they need to thrive. We seek to leave a more equitable, sustainable, harmonious, and peaceful world for all children and generations to come.
Be Strong Families Happenings
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Whether you're just starting your professional journey or leading a team, our Be Strong Families Institute offers tailored training to elevate your organization's impact.
Register now to access targeted professional development opportunities designed to meet your needs.
* Café Trainings
* Professional Development
* Guest Features
See the 2025 Spring Schedule Here
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Donate to our annual Show Your Love event, invest in your children’s future!
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#WoWTalk (Words of Wisdom) Cafés for youth and emerging adults generate conversations that help build the Youth Thrive Protective and Promotive Factors, using Be Strong Families’ nationally recognized Café model. These Cafés foster intentional connections and healthy relationships among youth and the adults in their lives. #WoWTalk Cafés prepare youth and emerging adults for transition to adulthood, to be contributing members to the collective.
Now this newest Café deck for youth is in stock! Order yours here.
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Be Strong Families Cafés
Be Strong Families is internationally known as an innovator in using structured, small group conversations called Cafés to facilitate transformation and healing within families. We started with Parent Cafés organized around the Strengthening Families™ Protective Factors. And over the last 10 years, we have added Cafés organized around domains of vitality, for the recovery community, for parents of teens, for parents of children with disabilities, for fathers, to promote social justice as well as for youth and emerging adults. This peer-to-peer learning process has families working together to grow stronger.
Cafés were developed as an in-person experience and have now been adapted, with fidelity, to be hosted online.
Café Training
A Café Training is an experiential and highly interactive training that prepares parents and providers to conduct any of our Be Strong Families Cafés.
Professional Development
Our workshops, trainings, and technical assistance go beyond traditional child- and family-service models. Curricula are always strengths-based, family-centered, and trauma-informed. We aim to strengthen both staff and parents from the inside out, and promote the parallel process essential to effective work with families. All of our workshops are offered both online or in-person. Your team can join one of our open classes or we can come to you and provide customized training to best meet your organization’s needs.
Free Webinars
Be Strong Families is offering free, online opportunities to learn and grow and share together! Since March 23, 2020, we have been offering English and Spanish webinars on topics related to Staying Strong and Positive for Ourselves and Our Children. In 2023, the new webinar series is related to Enhancing and Empowering: Conversations for Positive Change.
Join us every month for A Taste of Cafés — a preview of our signature conversation process.
Our Shop
From resources, guidebooks, and outreach tools to games and gifts, Be Strong Families’ Shop features products that support your organization to further our collective cause.
Be Strong Families Initiatives
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Family Strong! Family Fun Fest
The Family Strong! Family Fun Fest is a collaboration between Be Strong Families, local lead non-profit agencies or individuals/planning committees, and the local government.
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Illinois DCFS Statewide Youth Advisory Board
The IDCFS Statewide Youth Advisory Board (SYAB) is committed to creating a caring and supportive environment for all youth in care regardless of race, citizenship status, sex, national origin, ancestry, language, disability, religion, or authentic self. SYAB works to educate, advocate for and empower youth in care across Illinois.
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Community Violence Prevention
Be Strong Families has always realized the importance of community violence prevention, understanding the important role that parents play in raising children to be non- violent.
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Environmental Justice
Strengthening Families and a group of thought leaders from the family support and early childhood fields are working to develop a curriculum, resources and tools for family resource and early childhood centers who already have trusted relationships with parents, particularly in communities that have been marginalized and who stand to suffer the most in an environmentally unjust world.