Capital Region Cares Capital Region Cares 2018-2019 | Page 108

La familia
Familia
RED
CROSS services
Counseling
Sacramento's trusted family resource center
E
stablished in 1973, La Familia
Counseling Center celebrates its
46th anniversary this year. This
south Sacramento family resource
center serves children and adults of
all ages as well as families through an
array of services.
“We provide parenting services,
employment opportunities for youth
and adults, behavioral health services
for youth, a wide range of youth and
health programs — everything it takes
to provide children, youth and families
with a healthy start and to support
them as an ongoing resource,” says
Rachel Rios, executive director.
La Familia counts on community
support to operate several of its
108
CAPITAL REGION CARES 2018-19 | comstocksmag.com
programs. Though the organization
makes the best use of grants providing
county, state and federal funding,
some programs, including key youth
and health programs, are supported
by private foundations and donations.
“Government grants have limitations;
some of our services couldn’t exist
without private donations,” says
Rios. “We’re grateful for all private
contributions, including funds raised
through the Big Day of Giving for our
summer youth programs. We’re putting
that money to work for the good of the
whole community.”
La Familia has two sites. The main
site on 34th Street is a family resource
center offering parenting education,
health and employment services, and
features a gym for youth karate and
health programs. In 2015, La Familia
repurposed a school site, just blocks
away on Franklin Boulevard, to create
La Familia’s Maple Neighborhood
Center. The Maple Center is home to
various youth programs and counseling
services, as well as to partners offering
literacy, play and education services.
“We’re currently raising funds
for a new building, the La Familia
Opportunity Center, and hope to
break ground this year,” notes Rios.
“This facility will enable us to offer
training services and add to our
existing employment services. The
center will benefit anyone looking to