PB&J Family Services is certainly one of the more lauded, awarded and active nonprofit…read moreorganizations in Albuquerque, but what do they do, exactly? Well, the scope is really tough to explain, but for me, it starts with parenting, specifically with dads. Of course, fatherhood is a subject I'm particularly passionate about, I'm simply fascinated by our ever-shifting non-nuclear family roles, the ways in which we dads now often balance the homemaking demands of everyday life, and more than anything, our lack of experience on the job. The parental job, that is. In many cases, we grew up in homes without solid father figures of our own, and when we go out into the big grown world, we often don't know where to begin with our own children.
At PB&J, training dads to be dads often begins when dads get out of prison. "Imagine watching a father helping his daughter tie her shoelace out on this playground, or pretend to cook, or help her on the playground equipment," the Executive Director, Susannah Burke, said to our group during a tour. "Very often, this is the first time they've had an opportunity to connect, to share one-on-one experiences, and to learn how to care for their child. We watch relationships form and grow deeper, we watch kids grow stronger, it all starts right here."
And we haven't begun talking about the moms. They're strongly represented here, too. This center offers more than day care, it's more like day school, day training, and day support, for endless families in Albuquerque's south valley and beyond. Over 40+ years they've held programs all over the state, including women's prisons. Personally, I love that what they do isn't overtly complicated. They provide shelter, a safe zone, and love, so people can thrive. New Mexico is blessed to have this organization.