By Shirley Shuman
On January 31, a ribbon-cutting ceremony highlighted the grand opening of a new Mountain CAP Family Resource Center. Located at 83 North Elk Street in Gasaway, the center will provide a wide variety of services, according to Director April Lloyd. This support center is one of 56 in West Virginia. Lloyd stressed that all of them “are intended to be a resource hub for their community and a place families can go to not only in a time of need but also as a regular part of day-to-day life.”
Lloyd pointed out that Mountain CAP “has a plethora of services the public may not be aware of.” One is a weatherization program which works to conserve energy and therefore reduce utility bills for those individuals with limited incomes. Another program, the Support Services for Veteran Families Program helps “qualified veterans and their families to obtain stable housing to prevent and/or remedy homelessness,” Lloyd said.
The director explained how she came to the local Family Support Center. “When I found out about the Family Support Center [coming to the area], I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. I’ve always worked in a public service field and being able to collaborate with various organizations, connecting families with services, and easing some of their stress so they can focus on their family is what we’re here for,” she noted.
Lloyd stressed that the goal of these centers is “to strengthen parent/child relationships and to support parents’ need to gain or maintain self-sufficiency.” She and others plan to work diligently to do just that with all those with whom they work.
Two different family events have been scheduled. At 10 a.m., Saturday, February 24, a free Kids’ Yoga Class is scheduled. Yoga mats will be provided and there will be a small craft after that. Another event, a Free Paint Night, is set for Friday, March 15, at 6:30 p.m. Lloyd noted that these events will be held at the center; therefore parents, grandparents, or foster parents are invited to “bring their kids down.” An important note that Lloyd pointed out is that office hours will fluctuate because of the programs and classes being offered. However, someone will always be at the center by 8 a.m.