Family Center Sites:

§         Cortez:       300 North Elm Street

§         Dolores:      1501 Hillside

§         Mancos:      670 W. Menafee

Community Description:

Montezuma County is a rural county located in the southwestern corner of Colorado. This remote isolated county has a population of 25,000 people including 1800 members of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe.

Strengths and Unique Characteristics:

Small community interested in supporting families; Great inter-agency cooperation; dedicated volunteers; Multi-cultural community: Ute Mountain Utes, Navajos, Hispanics and Anglos.

Mission Statement:

The Pinon Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating opportunities to enrich the quality of life of individuals and families in our community.

Piñon Project Family Centers (Cortez):

Services:

• Early childhood education

• Individual/family advocacy: help with family/personal problems, information and referral, home visitation

• Lending libraries

• Parenting, life skills, and fathering classes

• Respite care

• Service provider to schools: parent/school interface

• Community volunteer opportunities

• Supervised visitation (non-custodial parents)

• Safe Exchange (shared custody)

• On-site childcare

Programs:

• Early Childhood Training

• Even Start Family Literacy Program

•  Welfare-to-Work: Job readiness training, work prep activities, job search/placement/retention assistance, basic computer classes

• Tree House Child Development Center (6 wks – school-age)

• KIDS Kompany After School Program

• Operation KISS (Kids in Stressful Situations)

• Fatherhood Initiative

• Family Integrated Assessment and Referral System (FIARS)

Adjunct Services:

• Youth Leadership Development; Montelores Emergency Assistance Coalition