The Southern Tier Office

Contact Person:

Sharon Marrella

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Phone: (607) 535-2802
1-800-971-1588
Fax: 607-535-2802
Counties Served:

Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Seneca

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Welcome to the Southern Tier Office of Parent to Parent of NYS

Nestled between portions of Finger Lakes and the boundary of Pennsylvania, this region is mainly rural with some small urban areas. There is a lot of farming, tourism, wineries and some notable industry in this area. History is also a big aspect of this region with the birthplace of the Women’s Suffragist movement and Memorial Day, Civil War Battle sites, home to the Watkins Glen Grand Prix, the burial site of Mark Twain and the origins of Corning and Steuben glass to name a few things.

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The Southern Tier Office Staff

Sharon Marrella
Regional Coordinator
Hello, my name is Sharon Marrella and I wanted to share a little about myself.
I am the mother of two boys, Cullen and Burke, and I am married to Phil. Even two of our pets are male, so I can feel outnumbered at home at times. The upside of this situation is I realize how important it is to reach out and connect with others who understand your unique situation—a personal strength I bring to my position.

I have been the Regional Coordinator in the Southern Tier since the fall of 2005. However, I began my journey with Parent to Parent began in the spring of 2002 when I reached out for support myself. Since that time, my youngest was born—literally—into Parent to Parent just a few short months after I started working as the coordinator for this region. . I believe that my firsthand knowledge of Parent to Parent—from requesting support to my present position—enables me to recall how it feels to reach out when you need support. It is a perspective that I believe assists me in providing support to families who contact our office.
Helping a family connect, whether it be through support, education, advocacy or providing information, is an important component of my job. I still remember how overwhelmed and alone I felt when I first called. To be able to be that person for another family is one of the very best things I do here at the office. I am a staunch supporter of our parent matching program for very biased reasons—I know how empowering it is personally. It is even more vital when you live in a rural or isolated area and do not have much in the way of support. Some days, it felt like talking to my support parent was the lifeline that kept my head above the preverbal water.

I am also proud of being able to assist families of children with special health care needs through our Health Care Notebook. Through personal experience, I know how daunting a task it is to keep all those records, appointments, medicines and all straight. Anytime you can help a parent through that stressful job is a good thing.

I feel that my position is a way to “pay it forward” for the people who helped, and continue to help, me along the way with my family. The feeling of being able to connect a parent with information and support is something I am proud to pursue.

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | 1-800-971-1588
607-535-2802

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