PHP History
In 1976, two mothers of children with Down syndrome met and organized a support group in their living rooms. In the next year Florene Poyadue, Mary Ellen Peterson, Eddie and Lavelle Souza and the late Georgette Strohm expanded this group and their support to include all children with special needs.
From these humble beginnings, Parents Helping Parents was born. PHP has grown into a nationally recognized Family Resource Center and Parent Training and Information Center that serves as a model for many similar organizations.
More than forty years later, PHP remains true to its mission to helping children with special needs receive the resources, love, hope, respect, health care, education, and other services they need to reach their full potential by providing them with strong families, dedicated professionals, and responsive systems to serve them.
This includes children of all ages and all backgrounds who have a need for special services due to any special need, including but not limited to: illness, cancer, accidents, birth defects, neurological conditions, autism, cerebral palsy, premature birth, learning or physical disabilities, mental health issues, and attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder, to name a few.
PHP’s knowledgeable staff provide parent/professional educational opportunities including specialized training for parents in understanding and working within the special education system; support and direction through their highly sought after mentor parent program as well as condition and culturally-specific support and information groups and peer counseling; an assistive technology center; on-line services via www.php.com; and a comprehensive Community Disability Resource Library to address the individual needs of children with special needs and their families.
PHP has strong support in the community and works cooperatively with organizations such as San Andreas Regional Center, First 5 Santa Clara County, Easter Seals and Via Services. They have longstanding relationships with local school districts to provide assistive technology services for students.
As they move into their fifth decade, PHP faces new challenges and opportunities. They are working collaboratively with agencies like San Andreas Regional Center and HOPE Services to address the changing needs of children with developmental disabilities as they move to adulthood. PHP is looking to grow its reserve fund to be a buffer in times of fluctuating financial resources, eliminating the need for drastic measures to balance the budget.
Joanna Jaeger, former chair of the PHP Board of Directors, notes that:
“Parents Helping Parents was a lifeline to me personally when my son was diagnosed with autism over 14 years ago. While serving as the Board Chair I saw the even broader impact it has on children and families and our community. Raising healthy, ‘typical’ children is a big enough challenge, and when you add in developmental, physical, medical or learning issues the whole task can become overwhelming. PHP is a place for parents to come and connect with other parents who understand the challenges you face and to find support, training and resources. The day I walked through the doors of Parents Helping Parents changed my life, and I am thrilled to be able to give back to an organization that has meant so much to me.”