Washington County Connections Family Center
Akron, CO

P.O. Box 543
77 Main Street
Akron, CO 80720
Phone#: 970-345-2225
Fax#: 970-345-2311
Contact: Becky Meyer, Executive Director
E-Mail: connections@rcrcenter.info

and

Rural Communities Family Center
Yuma, CO

P.O. Box 284
204 S. Main St.
Yuma, CO 80759
Phone#: 970-848-3867
Fax#: 970-848-3869
Contact: Patricia Brewster-Willeke, Executive Director
E-Mail: resources@rcrcenter.info

Mission:

"Connecting People and Resources Throughout Washington County" is the mission of Rural Communities Resource Center, a grassroots non-profit organization in Northeast Colorado, under which Washington County Connections operates.

The resource center provides advocacy, support, and education to create systems change and develop programs that promote the physical, emotional, and economic health of the area.

Programs and Services Provided:

  • Lending library

  • Community computer availability

  • Parenting groups

  • Red cross training

  • Colorado Rural Legal Services Outreach

  • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

  • County express bus

  • Family literacy

  • Food and clothing bank

  • After-school and summer activity program

  • Loan-a-Seat and Safety program

  • Teenage parent program

  • Economic self-sufficiency program

  • New Directions – domestic violence

  • Women’s Health Project

  • Northeast Colorado Child Care Resource and Referral

Summer Events and Activities (2007):

Yuma Office (Call 970-345-2225 for details):

  • B.L.A.S.T. (Babysitter Lessons and Safety Training) -- This training is for young adults between the ages of 11 and 15 years. The youth are trained on how to be a good guest in the home of the children the are babysitting, if they are ready to care for children, what age group they like to watch best, house rules and routines of the child, safety rules, safe house and fire safety, how to feed a baby and small children, diaper changing, first aid, ages and stages, and what are good sitter qualities.

  • Project ALERT (middle school students) -- contains eleven lessons that focus on alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and inhalants – those substances that are the first and most widely used by young people today. Project Alert’s focus is on motivating non-use, learning to recognize pressures to use, and on developing and practicing skills to resist these pressures. According to a nationwide survey released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, youth who learn about the risks of drugs at the home from their parents are much less likely to use drugs that those who do not. However, getting the message across is not easy. According to the Partnership’s survey, virtually all parents (98%) reported talking to their kids at some point about drugs, but just 68% if the kids remembered the conversation, and only 27% reported learning a lot at home on the issue of drug use.

Akron Office (call 970-848-3867 for details):

  • Summer Reading Program -- Wednesdays for ages 6-7 from 1:30-2:30 and the 8-10 year olds are from 3:00-4:00 at the Akron Public Library from June 13-July 25. The Denver Zoo will be here to kick off the program on June 8 at 1:30 at the Washington County Event Center.

  • Pinch of Truth (4th grade through 8th grade) --
    a class that educates youth on the dangers of spit tobacco. This will be offered on Saturday, July 30, 2007 for three hours. The youth will engage in spit tobacco games, lessons and videos. They will also receive an incentive prize if they complete the course.

  • Smart Choices (4th grade through 7th grade) --
    a program offered by Rural Communities Resource Center during the summer months for students throughout Washington County , grades incoming 4th and incoming 7th. Participants are offered prizes and special events in exchange for making “smart choices” throughout the summer.  Specifically, youth are asked to keep track of healthy, positive activities they participate in. For example: athletics, 4-H, volunteerism, scouts, etc. by way of a punch card system to determine the prize given. Parental consent is required.

  • AJ’s Youth Center (5th grade through 12th grade) -- During the summer months AJ’s Youth Center offers Open Nights once a month from 7 – 9 p.m. Each Open Night has a theme. For example, Tournament Night, Fear Factor Night, Spring Dance, After New Year’s Party and Valentines Dance. Also during the summer months many activities are offered. Monday’s are Air Hockey Tournament Day, Tuesday’s are Craft Day, Wednesday’s are Movie Day and Free Popcorn Day, Thursday’s are Pool Tournament Day, and Friday’s are Tobacco Prevention Day. This includes tobacco prevention games, videos and activities.

  • Safety Incentives (for all ages of children and youth) -- Rural Communities Research Center is offering free ice cream cone coupons to children ages 2 and up for practicing safety habits with their bikes, skate boards, seat belts, car seats or any other areas that they are seen by an Rural Communities Research Center advocate being safe.