River Oak Center for Children: Family Resource Center

The River Oak Family Resource Center (FRC) is a hive of activity: children come and go to programs or to playcare; mothers, fathers, and foster parents arrive for parenting skills groups and informative sessions; and home visitors are in and out to meet with families in the community.

Norma, a single mother of two, has been a regular face at the FRC for seven years now. When we first met Norma through the FRC's home visitation program, she was socially isolated and had limited involvement in the community. She was apprehensive about using FRC services that were outside of the home, but when her Home Visitor learned of Norma's desire to become physically active, Norma decided to start small and began attending the FRC's Morning Stretch exercise class. Once she made it to the FRC, Norma never looked back. She began taking every class she could, and especially enjoyed the parenting classes, which she says have helped her became a better parent. Norma began making connections with other parents at these classes and helped build a support network. FRC staff quickly realized Norma would make an excellent parent leader. She is very excited for the opportunity to reach out to her fellow community members and to give back, and is looking forward to learning from the experiences of other parents as well.

The Family Resource Center helps close to 700 people like Norma most months. The Center, located in Oak Park, provides an open door that is available to anyone living in Sacramento; walk-ins are encouraged. All FRC programs and services are voluntary and can help with:

Questions about where to find a needed resource
Improving child safety and parenting skills through Birth and Beyond
Community Response home visitation services
Locating recreational activities for parents, children, or youth
Preparing children for preschool or Early Head Start
Foster parent support
Support for relatives raising a child
Leadership development opportunities for adults and youth
Job search support
An ongoing relationship to make it through family challenges

The Family Resource Center also features three best practice parenting programs: Make Parenting a Pleasure, Strengthening Multi-Ethnic Families and Communities, and DARE To Be You.

The River Oak FRC collaborates with First 5 Sacramento, Sacramento County Health and Human Services, and Sacramento County Child and Family Mental Health.

Learn more about the Family Resource Center's wide variety of support services.

Birth & Beyond Family Resource Center April 2012 and May 2012 Calendar of Events