Mission

Mission Statement: Building strong families for a peaceful community. Partners For Peace (P4P) is an initiative-taking violence prevention organization dedicated to cultivating peace through family education. P4P delivers four prevention/intervention family education programs and two youth mentoring programs (Salinas and Soledad) with the goal of improving the resilience of youth and families by building on the assets and strengths in the person, family, and community. It is our vision to create a community with a strong culture of caring based on values of respect, responsibility, and compassion. P4P provides family education classes in English and Spanish, online and in-person. P4P continues to build, train, and support a network that includes 13 school districts, 15 nonprofits, 5 Monterey County Departments (Education, Behavioral Health, Probation, Health, and District Attorney), 9 cities (Salinas, Seaside, Marina, King City, Gonzales, Greenfield, Soledad, Monterey, Pajaro). This network is critical for collaboration and coordination.

The Big Idea

Families matter! Youth may choose to use inappropriate social media, experiment with drugs and alcohol, skip school, and eat unhealthy foods. Many youth report experiencing anxiety and depression. Youth often refuse to listen to their parents/caregivers. Parents/Caregivers tend to parent the way they were parented leaving many families repeating unhealthy patterns. Our programs have expanded to give families the tools they need to thrive in today’s world! P4P’s Big Idea supports its core purpose: to offer culturally relevant family education for parents, caregivers, and youth. P4P provides tools to promote nutritious eating, school success, and healthy social media habits with love and limits. Intervention programs give parents/caregivers tools to combat drug and alcohol use, gang activity, chronic truancy, and bullying. Classes are offered in English and Spanish throughout Monterey County.

Strengthening Families has wonderful instructors who have helped my son and I further understand and practice rules and boundaries at home in a gentle, fun, and effective way. We have been able to take all that we have learned in the program and utilize it in our daily routines. I feel that my son and I have an even closer bond just by attending the classes alone because, as we know, the more involved we are in our children’s (child’s) lives they notice! Thank you to the Facilitators of the program, it was always a good time with you and tools like the points/reward system and family meeting instructions have been utilized to successful completion in our home Conversation starters with your child are great too.

- Marissa Boykins