While it is by no means limited to young families, the Family Resources Education Expo (F.R.E.E.) that will be held from 9 a.m. to noon tomorrow at the Butler YMCA on North Washington Street will provide a quick perspective to young families that might otherwise take them years to obtain.

The Butler area has many services available to all families, but the problem is that many families don't know the full range of services offered or how to access them. F.R.E.E. will unlock much of that "mystery," as well as provide details on how agencies coordinate their services for families requiring more than one service.

And, consistent with the acronym F.R.E.E., there will be no charge for families to attend the expo and obtain as much information as they need.

The expo is being sponsored by the Butler Collaborative for Families, which is a network of social services. The collaborative, which was established last year, is a program of the Center for Community Resources.

Some families are reluctant to seek services because of a sense of shame. A goal of tomorrow's program is to break down that barrier.

"We're . . . breaking down the stigma so people do not feel ashamed to access those services," said Erin Vero, coordinator of the collaborative.

Vero is one of those who have noticed that there has been a more unified effort by county agencies to help people, since the collaborative was formed.

"They're more willing to partner," Vero said.

Meanwhile, the collaborative experiences a learning process of its own. That's because it relies on feedback from families to help it address needs.

The basic thinking behind the collaborative is to strengthen families in any way possible. Tomorrow's expo can make significant strides doing that, if a large number of families attend.

Information about the expo can be obtained by calling 724-431-0097 or by accessing the Web site www.butlerfamilies.net.

The list of expo participants that appeared in Tuesday's Butler Eagle is testmony to the concern that this county has for its own - and to the many good people who are involved in providing the services.