Arriving in Washington and to this country from many other parts of the world is usually a challenge, especially for families with children. The Washington metropolitan area is quite large and diverse, and to complicate matters even further, it consists of three separate jurisdictions with entirely different laws and regulations that affect our lives in both big and small ways.

Over the years we have learned how important it is to fully understand in which areas these differences exist and what they mean in practical terms. Decisions on where to look for home, schools for your children, county services etc need to be coordinated and make sense for our particular circumstances and family situation.

For many years now WBFN has played an important role in offering help and support and crucial information to WBG staff and their families at various stages of their Washington experience. Our program of INFORMATION SEMINARS has been a significant part of this effort to help WBG families find their way and minimize stress when settling in and trying to feel at home in a new environment and often times a very different culture from what they have been accustomed to.

We started these programs over 20 years ago and focused on basic issues such as Housing, Schools, Jobs, Visas and Immigration, WBG benefits, Taxes, Wills and Family Law. Occasionally we also covered things such as childcare, summer camps, college applications, issues of multicultural families, overwhelming stress that often accompanies WBG staff travel and the hectic Washington life style.

Once the WBG put in place the Work Life Services (now Global Mobility), which was something that our family support organization had long clamored for, we decided to have our own Information Seminars focusing on the topics offered early on. WBG families often have to deal with some complex issues where they really need to have access to exact and reliable information as they sort out how to make the right decisions and set up the best strategy for their particular circumstances. It is information that needs to be repeated and updated on a regular basis for WBG families in order for them to prevent major problems and some common pitfalls. This information can really make a significant difference in our daily life, especially in combination with all the other support that WBFN can offer in various important ways.

Successive WBFN Presidents have been extraordinarily dedicated to helping our members in every way possible; this has been my observation during the 30 years that I have been involved with WBFN. They have also shown interest in and support for the Informational Seminars that I initiated some twenty years ago.

Thanks to their undivided attention to every aspect of WBFN, inspiring a large number of other volunteers to also contribute, our organization has grown and improved greatly and thus become more effective in their support work. It has been rewarding to be a part of this effort and see close up how our organization has developed its present high standards and excellence.

Monika Sergo
Chair/Information Programs