The Center for Family Outreach is offering free support services for parents and guardians of adolescents in the Fort Collins area. Established in December 2010, the nonprofit organization seeks to offer services and education for at-risk youth in the area.
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“When I started the Center in the year 2000 I truly believed in my heart that prevention and education was the way for [at-risk youth] to stay out of the juvenile justice system,” said Executive Director Laurie Klith.
The center receives support from various local businesses and companies, including the Bank of Colorado, Odells Brewing Company and Poudre School District. In addition, community members create the Board of Directors and are avidly involved in the organization.
“The mission of the center is to help Larimer County youth ages 8-18 and their families achieve and sustain long-term positive changes and healthy relationships,” said Brooke Jostad, bilingual case manager and Fort Collins family advocate.
The Center for Family Outreach offers various youth supervision, management, and involvement opportunities, as well as classes on topics such as healthy relationships, substance abuse and anger management for at-risk youth in the community.
“We also offer free support services for parents, grandparents and guardians of adolescents,” Jostad said.
The center offers a free weekly support group, offered in both English and Spanish, for parents and grandparents of adolescents, on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. There are free lunch lectures featuring special-interest topics for the care of adolescents, which are won Tuesdays from 12 – 1 p.m. and are free to anyone in the community.
TCFFO recently hosted their event, “Gingerbread Home for the Holidays,” on Dec. 6. The event engaged volunteers by raising money for the center through a gingerbread house building competition. Additional future fundraisers include the Community Outreach Breakfast, set to occur on April 22, 2015.
“It’s so important to have a program like this center that can provide consequences for kids that are coming through our system without putting them through the courts,” said Michelle Brinegar, chief deputy district attorney.
The Center for Family Outreach offers strength-based programming and family guidance year round.
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For more information, contact Brooke Jostad at brookej@tcffo.org.
Collegian Reporter Jessie Trudell can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @j_trudes.
