Familias Activas to start its third year of programming in March.

As we kick off the third year of Familias Activas, we are filled with pride and excitement. Being part of this program has been excellent. It’s not just about attending sessions; it’s about being part of a family that supports each other. We’ve learned much about handling challenges while staying true to our culture. The mental health workshops have been a game-changer, helping us build resilience and confidence. And let’s not forget the soccer practices—they’re not just about exercise; they’re about bonding and having fun together. Familias Activas is more than a program; it’s our safe space to learn, grow, and succeed. Huge thanks to our community partners and mentors for their support. Here’s to another year of strength and progress! Let’s go, Familias Activas!

-The Familias Activas Team

Meet the Familias Activas team

Back row from left to right: Ali Hurtado Choque, Eva Sumano, Alex Chan, Matt Rodriguez, Maddie Boyer
Front row from left to right: Franco Cabrera, Daisy Bautista, Ricardo Doig, Jack SaFranco

Our Familias Activas team has a wide range of skills and experience. Led by Dr. Ali Hurtado Choque, a University of Maryland assistant professor in the School of Public Health, our team has members from our community partner Casa along with soccer coaches and University of Maryland faculty and staff.

The goal of the program is to strengthen parents and youth in the areas of mental wellness and physical activity. The nine-week program meets on Saturdays and has two groups that meet in the morning and early afternoon. The strength of this program lays in having both the parents and youth participating in the program together. The program provides a parenting skills format and also a youth soccer format. In addition, there is a free mobile health application that provides videos and online soccer and mental wellness resources for parents and youth. Also, follow us on Twitter @Familia_Activa.

For questions about this initiative, please contact us through our online webform.

Program is running strong at full capacity

The Familias Activas program is off and running strong. We have a great response of participation from the community and are now at full capacity for this pilot group, which runs through the middle of May. The youth are enjoying the soccer program and the parents are enjoying their support group.

Program begins Saturday, March 19

We are excited to announce the Familias Activas youth soccer and mental wellness program will begin on Saturday, March 19. Parents will be contacted prior to the start date with the time slot they should arrive with their youth. There will be two groups: Group A which will meet at 10:00 am and Group B which will meet at 11:30 am.

The program will be hosted at

Casa

8151 15th Ave
Langley Park, MD 20783

Here is the calendar link to the details about the program.

For more information, please contact Franco Cabrera, Casa Coordinator, at

Phone: 240-604-8910‬

Email: familiasactivas@umd.edu