LA PLATA FAMILY CENTERS COALITION

FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICE PROGRAM (NOW REFERRED TO AS FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER PROGRAM) IS A COMPREHENSIVE COORDINATED CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM WHERE FAMILY ADVOCATES PARTNER WITH FAMILIES TO SET SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, REALISTIC, TIME BASED (SMART)GOALS, ADDRESS IMMEDIATE CRISIS SITUATIONS, OFFER FINANCIAL COACHING, PARENTING EDUCATION, RESOURCE AND REFERRAL, AND EMPOWER FAMILIES TO WORK TOWARDS SELF-RELIANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY. THE OVERALL FRAMEWORK FOLLOWS THE FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES FRAMEWORK WHICH INCORPORATES CASE MANAGEMENT, FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, PROTECTIVE FACTORS,AND STRENGTHENING FAMILIES. INCLUDED IN THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER PROGRAM ARE PARENT LEADER NETWORK AND TOGETHER WE GROW/JUNTOS CRECEMOS COMMUNITY LED INITIATIVE: PARENT LEADER NETWORK THE LA PLATA FAMILY CENTERS COALITION RESPONDED QUICKLY TO THE INCREASED NEED FOR BASIC HUMAN SERVICES AND CONCRETE SUPPORTS DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN SOUTHWEST RURAL COLORADO. LPFCC ACTIVATED ITS PARENT LEADER NETWORK TO AUGMENT SERVICE PROVISION IN A TIMELY MANNER. THIS NETWORK REPRESENTS THE FABRIC OF OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES AND IS ABLE TO ACT AS CULTURAL BROKERS, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY. PARENT LEADERS OFFER GROUND TRUTH INSIGHT INTO A LARGE FRACTION OF OUR LA PLATA COUNTY COMMUNITIES. LPFCC WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE FOOD SECURITY TO FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS FOLLOWING THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS AND AFTERWARD,SPECIFICALLY THOSE WHO HAD A COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM OR WERE UNDER SELF-QUARANTINE. AS A RESULT, LPFCC COORDINATED FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND CONCRETE RESOURCES THROUGH ITS PARENT LEADER NETWORK TO 4 MOBILE HOME TRAILER PARKS IN THE DURANGO AREA, AT FORT LEWIS MESA AND AT SUNNYSIDE. PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE VERY RURAL AREAS IN LA PLATA COUNTY. FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND BASIC NEED ASSISTANCE SUPPORTED 120 UNDUPLICATED FAMILIES INCLUDING NAVIGATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES, INTERPRETATION AND CONCRETE RESOURCES ON A WEEKLY BASIS. IN ADDITION, LPFCC PARTNERED WITH LOCAL GROWERS, FARMERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO SECURE MORE FRESH PRODUCE AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FOOD SUPPLIES. AS A COMMUNITY-INITIATED RESPONSE TO COVID-19, LPFCC HAS MAINTAINED AND DEVELOPED FURTHER THE PARENT LEADER NETWORK TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR BASIC NEEDS INCLUDING HOUSING,TRANSPORTATION AND FOOD SECURITY IN SOUTHWEST COLORADO. THIS HAS PROVEN EFFECTIVE TO ENHANCE SERVICE PROVISION AND TO ADVANCE LPFCC EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WORK.

COMMUNITY LED RESPONSE INITIATIVES/ INICIATIVAS DE RESPUESTA LIDERADAS POR LACOMUNIDAD TOGETHER WE GROW/JUNTOS CRECEMOS AS THE RESULT OF A PARTICIPATORY PROCESSWITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, VOLUNTEERS, PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS, LPFCC'S STAFF, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXPERTS, TOGETHER WE GROW/JUNTOS CRECEMOS WAS CREATED AS A NEWCOMMUNITY-LED INITIATIVE TO PUT TO WORK EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE TO BUILD A LOCAL,SUSTAINABLE FOOD ECONOMY, GROW ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND ENCOURAGE PRIDE INMULTIGENERATIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE, THANKS TO A GRANT FROM THE COLORADO HEALTHFOUNDATION. LPFCC HAS SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED YEAR THREE OF THIS INITIATIVE AND ISREADY TO CONTINUE THE EFFORTS THANKS TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING PRIMARILY FROM THECOLORADO HEALTH FOUNDATION. KEY PARENT-LEADERS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE BEEN CENTRAL IN DEFINING COMMUNITY SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS PROJECT HAVE UP TO 13 YEARS OFEXPERIENCE THROUGH THE "GIVING GARDEN" INITIATIVE, GROWING IN SEASON, POST-HARVESTVEGETABLE, DISTRIBUTION, TRACKING AND IN ORGANIZING SUSTAINED COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.WE ARE ALSO SUPPORTED BY A LOCAL FARMER-ADVISOR WITH SUCCESSFUL, DIVERSE, VEGETABLEPRODUCTION. ACTIVITIES WILL BE CONDUCTED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OVERSEEN ANDSUPPORTED BEHIND THE SCENES BY LPFC AND PROJECT VOLUNTEER, STAFF IN A MANNER THATUPHOLDS THE EXPERTISE AND POWER OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS. PROGRESS WILL BE OVERSEENBY THE LPFCC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THECOMMUNITY AT LARGE. THE COLORADO FATHERHOOD PROGRAM (CFP) - THIS IS A FIVE-YEARCONTRACT WITH OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD TO FACILITATE CFP, A FAMILY-CENTEREDCOMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. IT PROVIDES CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY-BASEDSERVICES AND SUPPORTS IN THE AREAS OF HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, RESPONSIBLE PARENTING,ECONOMIC STABILITY AND BUILDING SOCIAL CAPITAL FOR ALL FATHERS IN THE COMMUNITYWHERE THE FATHERHOOD PROGRAM IS DELIVERED. TARGETED OUTREACH INCLUDES FATHERS(BIOLOGICAL, EXPECTANT, ADOPTIVE, STEPFATHERS, FOSTER, KINSHIP, AND GRANDFATHERS)OVER 18 YEARS, WITH CHILDREN OR CARING FOR CHILDREN UP TO AGE 24 YEARS. THIS PROGRAMIS EXPECTED TO SERVE A MINIMUM OF 35 FATHERS. THROUGH THE MEMBERSHIP WITH THE FAMILYRESOURCE CENTER ASSOCIATION, LA PLATA FAMILY CENTERS COALITION HAS OPPORTUNITIES TOSTRENGTHEN EXISTING PROGRAMS. THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER ASSOCIATION'S FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES FRAMEWORK USED BY LPFCC OUTLINES THREE DISTINCT PATHS OF SUPPORT AND ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENTS AND DATA TRACKING. THIS FRAMEWORK INCLUDES THE COLORADOFAMILY SUPPORT ASSESSMENT 2.0 (CFSA2) AND ENSURES BEST PRACTICES ARE CONSISTENTLYFOLLOWED THROUGHOUT SERVICE DELIVERY. LPFCC ALSO UTILIZES THE QUALITY STANDARDS FORFAMILY STRENGTHENING & SUPPORT, ISSUED BY THE CALIFORNIA NETWORK OF FAMILYSTRENGTHENING NETWORKS AND ADOPTED BY THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF FAMILY SUPPORT ANDSTRENGTHENING NETWORKS, AS A TOOL FOR ENSURING THAT FAMILIES ARE SUPPORTED AND STRENGTHENED THROUGH QUALITY PRACTICE. THESE STANDARDS INTEGRATE AND OPERATIONALIZETHE PRINCIPLES OF FAMILY SUPPORT PRACTICE WITH THE STRENGTHENING FAMILIES APPROACHAND ITS RESEARCH-BASED, EVIDENCE-INFORMED FIVE PROTECTIVE FACTORS. IN ADDITION TOPROVIDING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT, THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER ASSOCIATIONACTS AS A PASS THROUGH FOR FUNDING FROM OTHER FOUNDATIONS SUCH AS DELTA DENTAL ANDCDPHE. ACCORDING TO THE LPFCC ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2023-2024, LPFCC PROVIDED 37,702SERVICES INCLUDING PROGRAM SUPPORT, CONCRETE RESOURCES, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO650 UNDUPLICATED FAMILIES AND 1,530 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS FROM DIFFERENTSOCIOECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS. DURING THE GROWING AND HARVESTING SEASON,LPFCC'S POND FARM AND FOUR SATELLITE GARDENS PRODUCED 15,000 LBS. OF FRESH ORGANICPRODUCE. THIS SUPPLIED FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS AND PARTNERING AGENCIES SUCH AS FOURTHE CHILDREN, ESCALANTE READING CLUB AND LA ESCUELITA AT THE FOUR CORNERS IMMIGRANTRESOURCE CENTER COMPAEROS. THE LPFCC'S EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRY WAS ACCESSED 6,500 TIMES DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD. SUPPORT CONTINUES FOR FOUR FAMILY ENTREPRENEURSHIPS,INCLUDING YOUTH EGG & MEAT SALES,CATERING BUSINESS - SUPPORTING SELF-SUFFICIENCY.