Derri Pickering and her three children were connected to a North Hartford Ascend Family Navigator at The Village. North Hartford Ascend is a Connecticut Children’s initiative that connects families in the North Hartford Promise Zone with resources, opportunities, and community supports from prenatal through career. Through its Family Navigation System, Ascend works with families to understand their goals and needs, connect them with trusted community resources, and provide ongoing support as they navigate those resources. Family Navigators can help families identify resources related to areas such as education, employment, basic needs, health, and other aspects of family well-being.
Derri attended North Hartford Ascend’s early Community Conversations and voiced her feedback. Having a space to share her experiences, she felt heard and built trust in Ascend.
Derri and her three children—ages 4, 8, and 13—live in the Clay Arsenal neighborhood. She continued attending Ascend’s in-person and virtual Community Conversations about schools, mental health, and other topics affecting families and the community.
The Village reached out to Derri when a child in her household was experiencing some challenges. During their meeting, she was connected with an Ascend Family Navigator. The Family Navigator took the time to learn about what Derri’s family needed in the moment and asked about additional areas where they could offer support.
Sometimes families don't need one single service — they need someone who can help them navigate several needs at once. What happens in one part of a family’s life can affect another, which is why supporting a child’s health and well-being often means supporting the whole family. Family Navigators help families identify the different pieces of support they need and connect them with resources that can help their children and families thrive.
The Family Navigator asked about her family’s needs and connected her with employment resources and some household necessities. After getting her contact information, the Family Navigator continued checking in with her and sent regular updates about community events and other resource opportunities.
This connection wasn’t just about receiving a list of phone numbers or websites. Someone stayed connected with her along the way.
“Having a network like this program is very important for families in the community. They were able to get me the resources that I needed. They followed up on a regular basis until I was able to get the help that I needed,” Derri says.
After telling the Family Navigator that one of her main needs was a bed for one of her children, the Family Navigator helped place her on a waitlist. While she waited, the Family Navigator continued to check in with her.
“I waited, she followed up with me while I waited, so it made me feel like the Ascend program really cared. They basically held my hand, they offered me hope and let me know that they were there for me when I needed them the most,” Derri says.
The support continued throughout the waiting period. Eventually, Derri’s family received a bed, along with other household necessities including bedding, cooking supplies, and an air conditioner.
For Derri’s daughter, the bed meant having a space of her own. She had previously shared a bed with her sister, and having her own space gave her a sense of privacy and comfort.
“When the truck pulled up, my child’s face when she was able to have a bed of her own to sleep on rather than sleeping with her sister — she now has her own space, she now has her own privacy. It motivated her, and she’s a happy kid,” Derri says.
