Franklin County Marks Child Support Awareness Month by Hosting Family Empowerment Day

August is Child Support Awareness Month and this year’s theme is Support + Love = A Complete Child. To that end, the Commissioners, the Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) and the Columbus Urban League are hosting the Franklin County Family Empowerment Day and Resource Fair on Wednesday, August 17, from 2-7:00 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Community House, 1500 East 17th Avenue.

The goal of Family Empowerment Day is to raise awareness of the child support program, reengage parents, and assist in removing obstacles to responsible parenting. At the event, parents will have access to the following resources: Child Support Assistance and Legal Guidance; Custody, Visitation and Mediation Services; Employment and Training Services; a Job Fair; and Financial Counseling. There will also be a Kid’s Zone where kids can play safely and there will be free food, parking and refreshments.

“There are many reasons a parent may have fallen behind on their child support payments,” said Commissioner Marilyn Brown. “We want to work with parents to come up with a plan that makes sense for them and their children, and try to remove any barriers that may be keeping them from paying their child support or seeing their kids”

“Family Empowerment Day will help children with both financial and emotional support. Children must have both to thrive and meet their full God-given potential,” said Commissioner Paula Brooks. “I am proud of the efforts of our Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Staff, joined by our great community partners, the Columbus Urban League, and St. Stephen’s. This is a winning team for our children and their families.”

‘Franklin County’s youngest residents today, are our community’s leaders of tomorrow,’ said Commissioner John O’Grady. ‘As parents, we have a very important job to make sure we’re raising our kids to meet that challenge. Children need parents who are engaged and reliable. If something is keeping you from seeing your kids or getting a job to support them, then Family Empowerment Day is a great way to access community resources to address those barriers.”