Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Community partners in Tompkins' Famlies

Our Community Partners

Tompkins' Families includes a network of organizations that work together to help families create communities where children can thrive. By collaborating, we can better reach families that need support, which in turn helps create healthy children, strong families, opportunities for early learning, and supportive communities. Learn more about Tompkins' Families community partners on the links below:

2-1-1 Tompkins Cortland Helpline connects people with services in the community including housing, transportation, food, health care, employment, and recreation. Call 2-1-1 (or 1-877-211-8667) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year or email iandr@hsctc.org.

Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga provides goods, resources and encouragement for people of all faiths. They can help families and individuals find clothing and goods, bedding, diapers; enrolling in Child Health Plus health insurance, immigration services, emergency bill pay, car repairs, rental deposits and more. Visit catholiccharitiestt.org or call (607) 272-5062 for information.

Child Development Council promotes the healthy development of children and families at home, in child care and in the community. They help families find childcare and parenting resources, offer parenting programs, and provide training for childcare providers. Their "Warm Line" specialists  can help parents and childcare providers through difficult issues and help prevent crisis. Visit www.childdevelopmentcouncil.org or call (607) 273-0259 for more information.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County offers free or low-cost workshops on topics that include cooking and nutrition, home budgeting and energy efficiency, parenting skills, leadership development, local transportation resources, and more. Visit ccetompkins.org, email tompkins@cornell.edu or call (607) 272-2292 weekdays during business hours. 

Department of Social Services provides benefits and services to sustain families and individuals and to help them to achieve independence, including financial assistance, food stamps, medical assistance, day care assistance, protective and preventive services for children and adults, and child support services. Call the departments listed on the Department of Social Services website directly for assistance, email dssinfo@tompkins-co.org or visit www.mybenefits.ny.gov for information on how to apply for benefits.

Family & Children's Service of Ithaca supports, promotes and strengthens the well-being of individuals and families by offering high-quality, accessible mental health care for children, adults, students, and seniors, and related social services including therapeutic family mentoring activities, recreation and social skill development, case management, and advocacy for youth and their families in Tompkins County. Visit them online at www.fcsith.org or call (607) 273-7494.

The Family Reading Partnership promotes family reading practices to create a culture of literacy in our community. Their programs provide free books to children before birth, at birth, at pediatric well visits and at other childhood milestones, such as entering school. Their Bright Red Bookshelves, spread throughout the community, offer free gently used books. Visit www.familyreading.org, email office@familyreading.org, or call (607) 277-8602 for more information.

The Finger Lakes Toy Library is an incredible community resource!  Play is increasingly being shown to be invaluable to the development and education of children, especially during early childhood.  Toys, especially high-quality ones, can be cost-prohibitive. They may take up a lot of space, cluttering our homes. When our children are done with them, it takes time and energy to find them new homes. A collection that we all share can help simplify our lives and bring us more joy. A toy library instills a deep understanding of sharing culture into children from a young age, and they learn what it really means to share. The FLTL is located at the Shops at Ithaca Mall, 40 Catherwood rd in Ithaca. You can browse their lending catalogue and read more about becoming a member at toys.fingerlakestoylibrary.org.

Racker (Franziska Racker Centers) serves individuals with disabilities and their families from early childhood and continues to help as needed through clinical and mental health services, community and home-based programs and residential homes. Franziska Racker Centers works in schools, homes, in their residential homes, and everywhere in between.  Begun in 1948, the agency now includes more than 28 sites, employs more than 700 people and serves over 3,000 individuals and their families throughout Tompkins, Cortland and Tioga counties annually.  Visit www.racker.org or call (607) 272-5891 for more information.

Mama's Comfort Camp uses social media to provide close to 200 local mothers with online and real-life support. Locally Mama's Comfort Camp hosts a monthly support meeting for moms on the first Thursday of the month at 12:30pm in Downtown Ithaca, as well as various play-dates, mama's nights out, classes and outings. Visit  Mama's Comfort Camponline at www.mamascomfortcamp.com, ask to join the Facebook group at facebook.com/mamas.comfort.camp or email yael (at) mamascomfortcamp (dot) com for more information.

Tompkins Community Action, Inc., or TCAction, is a private, nonprofit community action agency started in 1966 that offers 25 programs serving individuals and families with limited incomes, and community collaborations in Tompkins County. Visit http://www.tcaction.org or call (607) 273-8816 to learn more about Head Start/Early Head Start programs, help with transitioning your child into the school system, reducing your utility bills, making your home more affordable and comfortable, supportive housing for families and individuals who are experiencing homelessness, working on short and long term goals to become less dependent on services and help purchasing your first home.

The Tompkins County Health Department offers services including immunization and seasonal flu clinics. Their MOMS program offers routine pregnancy medical check-ups, lab work, access to specialists, hospital care during pregnancy and delivery; home visits and care up to two months after delivery and much more. The WIC program provides nutritious foods, formula, nutrition education, and referrals to community services for pregnant and post-partum women with limited incomes and their children under five years of age. Their Children with Special Care Needs program helps families through early Intervention, access to health professionals, financial assistance for families with children with disabilities and more. Visit http://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/health or call (607) 274-6674 for more information.

Tompkins County Public Library offers range of free resources and services to the community, including baby and preschooler story times and play times, the latest digital resources, museum-quality art exhibits, internet stations, WiFi access, tools for developing early literacy skills and much more! Visit TCPL.org or call (607) 272-4557 to learn more.

Last updated August 18, 2023