On Saturday, May 16, families from across the community gathered at the EM Tobias Family Center for Bester Community of Hope’s annual Family Day celebration. This year’s Hollywood-themed event, “You Are the Star of Your Story,” welcomed more than 100 children, parents, caregivers, volunteers, and community partners for a day of fun, learning, and connection centered on strengthening families and celebrating community.
As families arrived through the VIP entrance, they were welcomed onto a red-carpet experience that set the tone for a fun-filled afternoon. The event transformed the EM Tobias Family Center into a Hollywood-inspired celebration featuring games, prizes, activity stations, food, and family engagement opportunities.
Family Day is an annual event designed around the Five Protective Factors framework, which promotes healthy families and helps prevent child abuse and neglect. Throughout the event, families participated in activity stations representing each of the protective factors:
- Parental Resilience
- Knowledge of Child Development
- Social Connections
- Concrete Supports in Times of Need
- Social and Emotional Competence of Children
Each station provided interactive activities and opportunities for families to learn, connect, and build skills together in a welcoming and supportive environment. Through these activities, families were encouraged to strengthen relationships, access resources, and celebrate the important role they play in their children’s lives.
One of the highlights of the day was the Hollywood Stage Photo Booth, where families posed for memorable photos and received their very own Oscar award as a reminder that every family’s story matters and deserves to be celebrated. The activity reflected the event’s theme by highlighting the strengths, resilience, and unique stories of the families who participated.
The event also featured a special reading corner centered around the children’s book Mae Among the Stars, which tells the inspiring story of the first African American woman in space. Volunteer readers included Councilwoman Tiara Burnett, BCOH Neighborhood Ambassador, and an Early Head Start teacher. Each family received a copy of the book to take home, encouraging continued family reading and learning beyond the event.
Following an afternoon of activities in the main atrium, families were invited to the concession area where they enjoyed pizza, nachos, soft pretzels, chips, and movie-sized boxes of candy for every attendee, young and old.
Before leaving, families also received personal care items distributed by United Way staff. In addition, Bester Community of Hope provided each family with a beach bag filled with family-centered resources including a first aid kit, sunscreen, and family time activities to encourage healthy and positive family engagement throughout the summer months.
Families were encouraged to complete an event survey to provide feedback and were entered into a raffle drawing as a thank-you for sharing their experiences.
Bester Community of Hope extends sincere gratitude to the volunteers, staff, community partners, and families who helped make Family Day 2026 a success. Events like Family Day reflect the organization’s continued commitment to cultivating hope and well-being in children, families, and the community.
