La Plata Family Centers Coalition
Summer Newsletter 2019
Happy 35th Anniversary LPFCC
Happy New Year 2020!.
Our Fiscal year 2019/20 LPFCC celebrates 35 years of service to the community! I am so happy to be part of this celebration!
Our staff has compassionately continued to envelope families with a comprehensive approach in family support services, early childhood education, parent support, group connections, prevention and after school and summer childcare in Bayfield.
We believe that every service that LPFCC provides has an impact in someone’s life and it causes a positive ripple effect. From a compassionate and open stance towards our families’ unique experiences, we partner with individuals to find alternatives and new paths to bring positive change in health attitudes and behaviors through goal setting and resources and referrals. We assist families to form deeper connections with others to create greater support systems that will aid them during challenging times. LPFCC advocates encourage families to explore new ways to invest in themselves and remain in the present moment to enjoy life, parenting, and our community at large.
Please take time to look over this newsletter to see all the great things we have shared and accomplished so far this year.
Warm regards,
Mariel Balbuena
Executive Director
Mission: Through education, resource networking and positive relationship building, we form respectful, productive family partnerships that create thriving, empowered individuals who are self-reliant and who envision a hopeful future for themselves, their families and their communities.
What's inside this newsletter:
* Community Supporters
* Events
* Grant Awards
* Classes Offered
* Staff at La Plata Family Centers Coalition
* Board of Directors
* Our Proud Partners and Memberships
THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS
With the support from our many community partners in 2018-2019,
we provided 8,892 services to 792 unduplicated families and 1,852 unduplicated participants.
Please Visit Our Community Supporters That Make La Plata Family Center Possible
Advanced EyeCare
Alpine Bank
Anschutz Family Foundation
Archuleta County Department of Human Services
A.V. Hunter Trust, Inc.
Axis Health System
Ballentine Family
Bank of Colorado
Buell Foundation
City of Durango
Colorado Health Foundation
Community Bank
Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado
Durango Education Foundation
Daniels Fund
Durango Pregnancy Center
Durango Rotary Club
David Smith
Erteszek Foundation
Exit Reality
First United Methodist Church and Thrift Store
Maria's Bookshop
La Plata County Humane Society
La Plata Department of Human Services
La Plata Electric Company
Lewis Mercantile True Value
Parents Possible
Pediatric Partners
River Church
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation
Rocky Mountain Health Plan
Salvation Army
Sam S. Bloom Foundation
St. Columba Church
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango
Town of Bayfield
United Way of Southwest Colorado
Willis Furniture
99X Radio Station
A BIG THANK YOU TO HELPING HANDS
We want to thank St. Columba's Helping Hands
for their generous donation of items for many of our families in the community.
We appreciate your support and sincere concern for families in need.
Join the Family Center Impact Study
The La Plata Family Center is working on an exciting new project in partnership with the statewide Family Resource Center Association (FRCA)! We are part of a study to help us understand how effective our services are, so we can better support our community and all of the families we serve.
Would you like to help? We are looking for families with children to participate in the study. If you participate, you will answer questions about you and your family at The La Family Center– you’d be paid for your time, and we’d ask you to come back a few times over the next year. The information we’d be asking you about would be used to make sure we are doing the best we can to support families.
To learn more, or to see if you qualify to join the study, please contact us at (970)385-4747 or lauren.evaluation@gmail.com. We would be happy to discuss this with you and answer any questions you may have!
Bayfield Fall Afterschool Program
New applications are always accepted.
You can call to register at (970) 759-2148 or email bayfieldafterschool@lpfcc.org
You can go to our website: www.lpfcc.org to register online.
EVENTS
GRANTS AWARDED
Alpine Bank
Our purpose of the Group Connections Plus is to deliver early childhood services, school readiness and health related education to families in La Plata County through gatherings that would invite existing center families, and new families who are seeking support, to improve their family's well-being, parental knowledge and health. Along with our bilingual Group Connections we provide positive, pro-social family get-togethers.
We value this partnership and the support for families in the community.
A.V. Hunter Trust, Inc.
Continuing with the vision of the founder Absalom Valentine Hunter, who recognized the importance of lending support for those in need. Our collaboration is carrying out that mission.
As we strive to achieve goals with families to increase thriving, it is the willingness of partners like the A. V. Hunter Trust that allow us to continue this work and we are most thankful for their support.
First United Methodist Church
We believe that every Group Connection session has an impact on someone's life and causes a positive ripple effect in our community. When basic needs are met, families can then master parenting skills, enjoy mindful interactions with their children, and come together to support each other during difficult times.
Through our partnership with First United Methodist Church we are making a collective change for future generations.
Be an Asset Builder for Children in our Community
Learn about the 40 Developmental Assets which are
the essential building blocks of healthy child development.
Asset #2 Positive Family Communication |Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents.
Local Data: 45% of La Plata County youth report high levels of family support. (Assets Survey 2015)
Essential Question: How do you foster positive family conversations even in times of disagreement?
Tips for building positive family communication:
· Use drive time or walks to have productive conversations with your child. This can feel less scary than lots of direct eye contact across the kitchen table.
· Hang a whiteboard in the commons area of your home to communicate schedules and encouraging messages to one another.
· Schedule regular talks with your teens to hear about their current commitment to school, friends, jobs and passions to stay in touch with their intentions. Reflect back your perspective on whether or not their time management skills are honoring these commitments.
· “When youth talk, really listen. Try to hear what they’re saying without judgment or criticism. Listen for the piece you both have in common and work from there.” (When Parents Ask for Help. Search Institute)
Resources: The La Plata Family Centers Coalition offers parenting classes. www.lpfcc.org.
Classes offered through the La Plata Family Center
Parents As Teachers helps you understand child development.
Parents as Teachers children are healthy, safe and ready to learn.
Ages 0-5
Registration is on-going
Call 385-4747 to enroll
Minimum of 12 visits which include:
*Child's development and parenting challenges
*Family dynamics, values and decisions
*Build strong protective factors
Early Childhood Parenting Made Fun!
November in Ignacio from 5:00pm-7:00pm
3 Thursdays
Where: 150 Tech Center Drive Suite A, Durango
Cost: $40 per person/ $50 per couple
$25 child care for 3 week session
(payable online at www.lpfcc.org )
Contact@lpfcc.org or call (970) 385-4747
This class provides parents an opportunity to gain practical and proven tools for raising respectful, responsible, and happy kids.
You will learn techniques that:
* Are simple and easy to learn
*Teach responsibility and character
* Lower your stress level
*Have immediate and positive effects.
Group Connections
***Weekly Group Connection***
Let's Dance
Classes for Girls Ages 4-12
Thursdays 4pm-5pm. Call (970)385-4747
Group connections are an opportunity to increase social connections for parents - and they provide opportunities to share information about parenting issues and child development.
During group connections, parents learn from and support each other, observe their children with other children and practice parenting skills with the encouragement of parent educators.
We have weekly and monthly connections through the Family Center program. A great example is the Garden Days listed in this newsletter under events. We also recently had a teen teach how to make cake pops. Families are enjoying the get together and looking forward to the next event.
Volunteers
We welcome volunteers.
Volunteers are an important part of our program. Volunteers are needed in many area's of our organization. Call today at (970)828-4701 to find out further information on volunteering at La Plata Family Centers Coalition.
Staff at La Plata Family Centers Coalition
Mariel Balbuena, Executive Director
mariel@lpfcc.org Direct line: (970) 828-4704
Amy Schweim, Colorado Community Response Advocate
amy@lpfcc.org Direct line: (970) 828-4702
Carmen Godac, Parent Educator - Parents as Teachers
carmen@lpfcc.org Direct line: (970) 828-4708
Marti Genge, Family Advocate
marti@lpfcc.org Direct line: (970) 828-4701
Trish McManus, Family Advocate (Bilingual)
trish@lpfcc.org Direct line: (970) 828-4707
Juanis Gonzalez, Parent Educator/Family Advocate
juanis@lpfcc.org Direct line: (970) 828-4705
Meredith Cox, Bayfield Afterschool and Summer Enrichment Director
bayfieldafterschool@lpfcc.org Direct line: (970) 884-9750
Peggy Bergon, Family Advocate/Colorado Community Response (Archuleta County)
Peggy@lpfcc.org Direct line: (970) 507-1550
Lauren Patterson, Program Planning & Evaluation Consultant
Tori Kroeger, Contract Accountant
Judy Bierma, Yoga for You Consultant
Board of Directors
Lisa Isenberg, President
Michael Wanger, Vice President
Tom Helms, Treasurer
Kim Shropshire, Secretary
Laura Shelton
Heather Hawk
Kim Kirsch
Kevin Aten
La Plata Family Centers Coalition
Durango Office: (970) 385-4747
Fort Lewis Mesa: (970) 588-3331
Bayfield After School/Summer Program: (970) 759-2148
Email: Contact@lpfcc.org
Website: www.lpfcc.org
Location: 150 Tech Center Drive, Ste A, Durango, CO 81301
Phone: (970) 385-4747
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaPlataFamilyCentersCoalition