Parents as Teachers Faith Community Network (PATFCN) began as St. Andrew’s Parents as Teachers, an outreach program of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in June 2002.  It is a national parent education and support program that offers home visits, parent group meetings, periodic developmental screenings and access to a community resource network. Seeing a need for these services in our community, the leaders of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church provided office space, utilities and an advisory board to assist with coordination and implementation of the Parents as Teachers program. Funds were also provided to send two parent educators to be trained to use the Parents as Teachers “Born to Learn” Curriculum in February 2002.  These same two parent educators utilizing their background in business and marketing, worked to create and strengthen the organization structure.  St. Andrew’s Parents as Teachers received their first grant in April of 2002.  It was from the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.  And in September 2002, a Spanish speaking Parent Educator was hired to serve the Spanish-speaking community.

          In May 2003 St. Andrew’s Parents as Teachers received a federal faith-based capacity building grant from Mission Tree, a Compassion Capital Capacity Fund Program though the Department of Health and Human Services.  This allowed St. Andrew’s Parents as Teachers to become Parents as Teachers Faith Community Network (PATFCN), obtain 501(c) 3 status, purchase equipment and supplies and train additional Parent Educators.  PATFCN moved to a larger space provided by St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in February 2004.  In May of 2004 another grant from the same program was received for more capacity building and training.  As the organization has grown, so has its’ financial needs.  Grants have been received from state Smart Start funds from the Guilford Partnership for Children starting in July of 2005.  Financial needs have also been met through various local grants from foundations and faith communities.
What started as an outreach ministry in one church has grown to be a faith-based social-service organization.  Faith-based in this context means that it is faith that sustains and drives the parent educators to do what they do.  Religious education is not incorporated into what is delivered to the program recipients.  This program simply gives the parent educator an opportunity to live out their faith through building supportive relationships with families while providing encouragement and parenting information that empowers parents to be the best they can be.