Family Values for Life was birthed from our founder Alfreda Flowers’ passion and extensive experience with families. She provided daycare services for 18 years; worked in the St. Paul school system, at family resource centers, and homeless shelters; raised her eight children with Christian values; grown stronger through the loss of her husband; and has worked with families at her church for over 35 years.

“All of my life experiences — serving at family resource centers, going through the grieving process after my husband’s death, raising my eight children — have made me a stronger, more faith-filled woman. With everything that I have experienced, I am finally strong enough to give back to my brothers and sisters,” says Alfreda.

Family Values for Life focuses its work on the entire family unit. By engaging both parents and children we can make a stronger, more sustainable impact on the family, and in turn, the entire community.

In May 2010, a town hall meeting was held in partnership with the Community Justice Project, First Covenant Church, and Eastside Neighborhood Development. The goal of the town hall meeting was to assess the needs of the East Side of St. Paul while avoiding duplication of service. During this time we discussed the community’s strengths, assets, needs, and solutions. The results can be found here: East Side Community Assets Map 2010.

Based on our assessment of the East Side, we have developed programs that will help us engage and build relationships with community members. Our vision is to connect families to community resources that already exist and support strong, healthy families.

We are passionate about strengthening the East Side families and making a lasting, positive change in the community.