By Jenna Waite-Gannon
Recently I was sitting with Chloe, one of the parents in our Family Services Program and we were reflecting on the last year of growth that we have had together. Because of donors, volunteers, and cheerleaders like you, we have been able to serve 30+ families like Chloe’s as well as allowed us to reach over 200 students locally and help them to thrive through Pagosa Community Initiative’s after-school programming.
This is only possible with the generous support of our community.
Chloe and her daughter Scarlett were two of the first participants to jump on the Family Services program provided through our after-school program. Through this program, PCI works to connect families to local resources. We help to stabilize families by connecting them to family education options such as parenting classes for teen and school-aged youth, helping them to navigate the school system and other systems, and connecting them to mental health resources.
Chloe says “The after-school program has been a huge support in many ways to my daughter and me. Through our struggles, this programming has been amazing with support, a safe place for Scarlett, and help with child care while I’m at work so I can maintain full work hours while being a newly single mom. The program has amazing aids that have emotionally supported Scarlett and encouraged her to grow creatively and emotionally. The Family Services program has even guided me through a divorce and the domestic violence we have endured.”
Because of your support PCI has not only been able to help this family to grow through family support services but also through play-based curriculum in our after-school program that provides character development, opportunities to build leadership skills, and community collaboration. Scarlett has shown amazing growth in her communication skills and self-advocacy. Her teacher last year shared that she can see a clear difference in her confidence levels and her creative problem-solving.
As we move toward the next year of programming, we are looking to strengthen our existing program as well as expand our services to the Pagosa Community by:
- Integrating trained therapists in all aspects of our programming.
- Creating a safe place for older youth to be during out-of-school time hours.
- Integrating adventure programming and community-based programming into all of our out-of-school offerings. This will allow our youth to engage with the natural world around them and to engage with their community in new and exciting ways while working towards mental wellness.
- Creating community through community classes and workshop opportunities.
More than ever, these experiences are critical to our youth and community.
As we step into 2023, I need your help to continue supporting our mission of providing more students with a safe space out of school time and providing families with a place that they know they can reach out to for support in their times of need. You will also enable us to get students adventuring in the beautiful Pagosa Scenery with trained specialists. Please consider making a donation through Venmo @pagosa-community-initiative, at PayPal by visiting paypal.me/pagosacommunity online, or by sending your donation to 905 Carino Place Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.
Your donations will continue to build a safe space for our families, community, and youth to belong for years to come.
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