General Questions
Our main Centre is located at 211 Wentworth Street, Saint John, NB. Please visit our Locations page for our outreach locations and coordinator information.
We serve expecting parents and families/ caregivers/grandparents with children up to the age of 6 years. We have a special focus on vulnerable families, which can include low-income or isolated families, who also may be affected by homelessness, food insecurity, unemployment, mental health challenges and/or have limited access to transportation and cultural resources.
We are open Monday – Thursday from 9 am – 4 pm and Friday from 9 am – 12 pm. We are closed on Saturday and Sunday.
NOTE: The Centre follows the same schedule as schools in the region. This means we are closed when schools are closed, such as during March Break, Summer Break, Holiday / New Year Break., Federal and Provincial Holidays, and storm closures.
All of our programs and activities are free of charge, with the exception of some outings. We can offer financial support to those who may need it to alleviate the cost of those specific activities.
Please visit the main FRC Facebook page for current program schedules, registration information and coordinator contacts. Follow the registration instructions for the program you would like to attend.
Yes, there is! We can offer free bus passes to and from our programs for those who may need them.
Our programs and activities require the parent/ guardian and/or grandparent to stay present with the child while at the Centre and/or any of our Outreach Sites
This is great! We are always looking for volunteers to help us out here at the Centre. We typically seek volunteers in the following areas:
- Support programs and services
- Administration
- Special events
- Nutrition
- Family presentations
- Music and art
- Fundraising
- Becoming a member of our Board of Directors
We invite you to come and talk to us about becoming a volunteer! Please send us your resume and how you would like to assist us by emailing admin@frc-crfsaintjohn.com
This is great news and a great way to contribute to helping ensure we can continue to provide services. Donations typically accepted here at the Centre include:
- Monetary donations (Charitable receipts provided) and/or Grocery/Gas Gift Certificates.
- Baby care package items (diapers, wipes, baby clothing, etc.)
- New mother care package items (dry shampoo, nipple cream, baby carrier, sleep swaddles, nursing clothes/pyjamas, etc.)
- Post-It-Notes, Pens/Pencils, Paper Clips, White-Out)Office supplies (Photo Copy Paper, White Envelopes, Lg. Brown Envelopes, Elastics/Staples,
- Cleaning & household supplies (All Purpose Cleaner, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Garbage Bags, Liquid Hand Soap, Dish Detergent, Baby Wipes, Lysol Wipes, Windex, Toilet Paper)
- Craft supplies (construction paper, stickers, pompoms, craft paints, googly eggs, etc.)
- Squeeze Pouches, etc.)/Individual Yogurt Cups, Cheese Sticks, Individual Apple Sauces, Snack items (Crackers, Kids Fish Crackers, Nut-Free Granola Bars and Fruits.
If you are interested in making a donation, please call 506-633-2182 or email admin@frc-crfsaintjohn.com.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
I still think this is the best place I ever could have come. You say to yourself everyone else has kids the same ages as mine, so they must be going through the same things. It does make you feel a lot better to know you’re not the only person. It also feels good to speak with other “big people”, not just your own “little people”.
[At the parenting program] you can share some great stories, as you all have so much in common as parents. Having come to the parenting program, I’m a lot more sure about what to do. It doesn’t always work, but I have a plan and some strategies. I’m doing something and that gives me confidence.
You really feel like you are part of something active. It’s a learning environment not just for kids, but for parents as well. It helps parents in the neighbourhood come together over snack and coffee, and they become friends as their kids play together and form relationships. These types of programs are strong neighbourhood builders.
Benefits of Family Resources
A game, generally, adds joy to life, but board games additionally teach some unique skills and give a couple of really life-improving benefits. It’s not an activity that should be enjoyed once in a while when you get bored or something, but a great chance to level up your power of problem-solving skill.