By Staff
CASSOPOLIS - Cass County's mobile Family Resource Center may be unique in the state of Michigan.
The FRC is a converted recreational trailer that was donated to the Intermediate School District.
It houses all existing resource materials for families, plus free books and games for children. More than 300 books have been distributed through the "Books for Kids" program; books can also be checked out.
The Hygiene Pantry consists of donated soaps, shampoo, toothbrushes and tooth paste.
A new resource is the Baby Closet, which collects and distributes baby items.
The FRC has become a fixture at family events and community festivals; the coordinator makes referrals and helps families with problem solving.
The coordinator publishes a monthly, family-oriented community calendar.
She is currently the site coordinator for free tax filing sites. The FRC will be the site for seven sites in four villages.
The FRC works collaboratively with other agencies to provide developmental screenings, immunizations, vision and hearing screens from the FRC.
In the last six months the FRC served 178 families and provided 42 vision and hearing screens to children attending early childhood development programs.
The FRC is staffed two days per week by Pam Swaim, an LCISD employee who works as a Wraparound coordinator three days per week.
The FRC is currently funded through Sept. 30 by a federal Safe Schools/Healthy Communities grant.