BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Families throughout the Raleigh County community will now have access to an array of critical resources following the recent establishment of the Raleigh County Family Support Center.
The new program, which is funded by way of a grant through the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources and operates under the Community Connections Inc. umbrella, seeks to create a central resource for families to prevent abuse, neglect, substance use, homelessness, truancy and/or food insecurities.
The grant itself took effect in July of 2022 and the support center staff were actively serving Raleigh County by the following September.
Though an entity of Community Connections, Inc., the Raleigh County Family Support Center activities and structure are guided by Advisory Council members who discuss community needs and how to overcome challenges to meet said needs.
This Advisory Council consists of RCFSC Executive Director, Kellie Gunnoe, Danielle Stewart, Dee Sizemore, Bonny Copenhaver, Melonie Terry, Kelly Elkins, Marilyn Pearce and Vickie Webb, with additional guidance from the Parent Advisory Council and Youth Advisory Council.
Those interested in participating in any of the advisory councils may contact RCFSC. “The Raleigh County Family Support Center brings us one step closer to addressing the needs of our communities in Raleigh County” says Danielle Stewart, Chair of the Advisory Council, “The ability of the family support center to meet people where they are at is a unique approach to helping families.”
Of the various functions carried out by the Raleigh County Family Support Center – or RCFSC – a primary focus of the entity is that of connecting families and community members to services and resources as a means of addressing specific issues affecting the families in question at a given time.
“The RCFSC is focused on preventative services for families,” says Kellie Gunnoe, Executive Director of the RCFSC. “We serve as a central hub for Raleigh County to connect families to the different services to prevent homelessness, food insecurity, substance use, inability to access medical services as well as situations that could lead to abuse or neglect. Our mission is to empower families to thrive through community, education, and resources.”
The center will serve as a liaison between local residents and the information/resources that can help these community members thrive, but that may not necessarily be readily accessible or comprehensible.
“For community members who need services or know someone who needs services but are not sure what is available or where to start, the RCFSC is the place to go to get started,” Gunnoe continues. “Being in high stress situations can be overwhelming and it helps having a place to start as opposed to calling around to different resources.”
“We assist families going through referral and application processes for other community services and obtain documents needed to qualify. We also provide education classes, and different support groups for families who are looking for a community going through a similar situation.”
Mindy Lilly, RCFSC Family Services Coordinator, looks forward to bringing the community together “True success relies on the development of communities,” Lilly declares.
“Technology has interfered with how we rely on one another, and our hope is to bring people back together. It truly takes a village. No matter the circumstances, even when everything is good, we still need our village.”
The Raleigh County Family Support Center operates out of their primary location at 200 Antonio Ave. in Beckley, WV, home of The Community Transformation Project. But the center also utilizes a second location in Sophia through a partnership with Hope in the Mountains who operate The Hope Center. This location can be found at 410 W Main St, Sophia, WV.
“Hope in the Mountains has been blessed by our partnership with RCFSC. The RCFSC staff have been actively working at the Hope Center getting the building ready to serve the community as a community center. They are working on programs to assist people to lead better lives.” Explains David Rumberg, President of the board for Hope in the Mountains.
Several community partners have been essential in the development of the center according to Gunnoe, including The Raleigh County Prevention Coalition, OneVoice, Beckley Housing Authority, City of Beckley, and Communities in Schools.
“Many local businesses and individuals have been eager to assist with donations and building a better Raleigh County,” she explains.
Services currently offered by the RCFSC include a baby closet located at One Voice at 613 S. Kanawha St. Beckley, WV, which is open to families Tuesdays from 9:00 am- 12:00 pm and Fridays 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm, as well as all services offered at The Hope Center through a partnership with Hope in The Mountains, Mondays, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Wednesdays 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and Fridays 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, and coordination of the Blessing Box project in partnership with the Raleigh County Prevention Coalition.
Additionally, a play group and after school program will be offered beginning in January, at which time all services at the Community Transformation Center at 200 Antonio Ave will become available as well.
While the RCFSC utilizes a handful of staff members in its community efforts, the engagement of others passionate about the work being done is essential for the optimal functionality of the entity, as Executive Director Kellie Gunnoe explains.
“The RCFSC currently has four staff members, so volunteers are essential to the function of our family support centers across the county. There is a volunteer position for every skill set or preference. We need tutors, after-school program volunteers, people to help with donation processing, or fundraiser/community events.”
Upcoming events to look forward to from the RCFSC include Time Out for Me and Storytime Playgroup, both of which are set to begin in January. The center will also be working to assist Raleigh County residents with their holiday shopping through their Pay What You Can Wrapping Service, which is being offered until Friday, December 23, 2022.
Those seeking further information may contact the Raleigh County Family Support Center by calling or texting (681) 539-0370. The center can also be reached by email at rcfsc@rcfsc.org, or through Facebook at facebook.com/RCFSC. Those looking for more information are also encouraged to stop by any RCFSC location during the aforementioned hours of operation.
Additional LOOTPRESS coverage for Raleigh County can be found here.