An FRC, or Family Resource Center, is a one-stop shop that provides comprehensive services and support to families and individuals in need. At Children's Home Society of Washington (CHSW), we are proud to operate eight FRCs across the state, each offering a safe and welcoming environment where families can access a wide range of resources and services.

Our FRCs are designed to empower communities through the Family Pathways Framework, which focuses on three key areas: General Services, Center Services, and Family Development. General Services include walk-in information and referrals to other organizations, while Center Services offer programs and services at the FRC for parenting, life skills, and more. Family Development, on the other hand, is a goal-oriented approach that helps families set goals and track the progress toward achieving them.

We believe every family deserves the opportunity to succeed, and our FRCs are here to help. Whether you need assistance with housing, employment, education, or health, we provide various services that can help improve well-being and strengthen families’ futures. 

Curious about the real-life impact of FRCs? Here are four stories about the life-changing differences they make to our fellow community members.

Help for a Family of Four

We received a call about a family of four living in a one-bedroom apartment, sleeping together in a single bed. A generous donor helped us with a bed for the family’s 4-year-old so that she will have a place of her own to sleep, while mom and dad will share the bed with their 2-year-old. Our staff also helped them with household items such as a child's table, food, and referrals to rental assistance.

The mother's mental health was also a concern and she had trouble finding a provider to see her in a timely manner. Our staff made a direct call to an organization and explained the need for immediate services and the mother was able to get an appointment to speak with a counselor.

Support for a New Mom

A Somali participant reached out to us for support in various areas. She was seeking help with post-partum depression, infant CPR and parenting skills. Specifically, she requested to work with a counselor who had helped her in the past and is also from Africa. Although the counselor is no longer based out of our North Seattle FRC, we were still able to connect with her and she will be offering the participant therapy.

We also provided the participant with resources and items for her new baby. During our conversations, she offered some ideas for workshops that she would like to attend at our Center, and we are currently following up on those suggestions.

Critical Connections

One day, a young mom reached out to one of our staff members and shared a distressing incident that had occurred at her home, which had involved the police. She expressed a desire to connect with Consejo counseling services, but unfortunately hadn’t received any response from them.

Our staff member took immediate action and contacted Consejo directly to explain the situation and advocate on behalf of the young mom. Consejo then quickly arranged a meeting with the woman and offered her much-needed support to help her navigate her challenging circumstances.

Reliable Transportation

Many families have requested ORCA cards preloaded with $25. Through our partnership with Metro, we have distributed hundreds of these cards and assisted families in completing a survey from Metro about their transportation habits.

We're thrilled to see the positive impact of this initiative on families like those we recently helped – a mother with three children and a baby on the way who relies on the bus to make it to important doctor visits. Another family who benefited from the program wanted to participate in the FRC's P-Patch program but lacked the funds for transportation. To ensure that all families who need the cards received them, our staff worked tirelessly, delivering cards to some parents during weekends and evenings.

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Children’s Home Society of Washington is the first line of support for families before they fall into crisis.

By providing an array of resources and services, our FRCs offer a holistic approach to supporting families and individuals, especially those living in poverty or those from BIPOC communities. We hope that when you read these stories, they serve as a compelling reminder of how we can bring about meaningful change in the lives of all families throughout Washington state.

Kristen Conte is the director of marketing and communications for CHSW.