Community Groups Serving Children and Families in greater Rochester, NY

Regional Early Childhood Direction Center

A clearinghouse of information about services for children birth to age five at risk for, or with, disabilities. Serving 11 counties,they are the local place to contact for individual help and information on programs and resources, training for professionals, and technical assistance on working with young kids with special needs. Call 585-399-4617 for more information.

Children's Institute

Children's Institute in Rochester, NY works for children by developing and promoting prevention and early intervention programs, evaluating children's conditions and programs, training professionals, and forming community partnerships to inspire and implement positive public policy. Sound research and rigorous evaluation enable the organization to develop and promote high quality early intervention programs, educational materials, and community practices for children and families.

Early Childhood Education Quality Council
274 N Goodman Street, Rochester, NY 14607, 585-295-1000 x 410

The Early Childhood Education Quality Council is a consortium of 22 urban not-for-profit child care centers serving over 2000 children in urban Rochester. They very much appreciate donations of any slightly used toys, books, etc. The Council is happy to distribute the materials directly to the child care centers that need them. Call the number to make arrangements for drop-off.

Child Care Council

Child Care Council, Inc. is a not-for-profit child resource and referral corporation dedicated to the support of high quality child care. Offices are located in Monroe, Livingston, and Wayne Counties in upstate New York. It is a resource both for child care professionals and parents who are seeking child care.

Rochester Early Enhancement Project

REEP is a multi-agency collaborative that promotes the healthy development of families with young children in Rochester, New York. Comprehensive, integrated, and intensive educational programs and services are delivered to families through in-home visits and at neighborhood centers and schools.

Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD,Inc)

The Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD) is among the world's largest and most experienced organizations effectively treating children with autism and related developmental disorders. Since 1990, we have served the needs of families living with autism by providing information, training, supervision, and therapy services. Their therapists and supervisors design and implement individualized treatment plans for long-term success and recovery. The Rochester office is on North Main Street in Fairport; the phone is 585-377-6590.

Rochester Association for the Education of Young Children (RAEYC)

RAEYC's mission is to support positive development of children birth to age 8, through professional development, community outreach and promotion of high quality early childhood standards.

Rochester Parent Network

Administered through Monroe Community College, the RPN's purpose is to help the 11,000 babies born annually in Monroe County reach full potential by aggressively supporting the parents and caregivers that care for them especially during the first stages of life. They sponsor 292-BABY, a wonderful free service available over the phone. 17 hours per day, from 7am - midnight, you can call this number and a Via Health pediatric nurse will answer any non-emergency question about baby and child health and development that you may have.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester

Big Brothers Big Sisters matches youth with adults committed to investing time by showing and sharing the way to a better future. They are committed to recruit, screen, and train qualified, dedicated and "child safe" Big Brothers and Big Sisters to fulfill the needs of local area youth.

A.C.T for the Children

A.C.T.-For the Children is dedicated to reducing the negative impact of a parental breakup on children. The primary goal is to empower parents with information and skills for protecting their children from ongoing conflict, strengthening parent-child relationships, and fostering children's resilience and healthy development.

Monroe County BOCES Resources for kids with special needs

This free resource center serves and 11-county region. Staff members help parents of babies and preschool children find programs and services needed to diagnose or deal with a disability. The center is a project of Strong Memorial Hospital and Monroe #1 BOCES.

Moonbeam2earth Project, Inc.

Moonbeam2earth is a wonderful nonprofit organization whose intensive hands-on arts programs are helping disadvantaged children throughout the greater Rochester area succeed.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children – New York Branch

Their mission is to help prevent child abduction and sexual exploitation; find missing children; and assist victims of child abduction and sexual exploitation, their families, and the professional who serve them.

New York State Office of Children & Family Services

The agency is responsible for programs and services involving foster care, adoption and adoption assistance; child protective services, including operating the Statewide Central Register for Child Abuse and Maltreatment; preventive services for children and families; services for pregnant adolescents; child care and referral programs; and protective programs for vulnerable adults. Additionally, the agency is responsible for all elements of the state's juvenile justice programs, administering and managing 34 residential facilities for over 2,000 youth remanded to the agency's custody by family and criminal courts. OCFS also coordinates, in part, the state government response to the needs of Native Americans and their children on reservations and in communities.

Rochester Birth Network

Rochester Birth Network provides information and referrals on issues related to childbirth for birthing families in the Rochester and surrounding areas. These include lists of Professional labor assistants (doulas), Independent Childbirth educators, Midwives, and Postpartum care providers.