History, Mission, Vision & Values
Who We Are
Our History
The Family Center/La Familia has served working families and the Latinx community in Northern Colorado since 1995, and is one of 33 family resource centers in the state. Our center is seen as a safe and a trusted space, where children and families learn and connect with each other improving social skills, reducing social isolation, developing leadership skills, and gaining access to community resources. Our high-quality Early Childhood Education Program serves more than 75 children whose parents work and attend school. “El Nidito” opened its doors in 2000, to respond to the community’s desire for affordable and accessible early childhood education. Our center has been significantly investing in quality improvements including educational, social, and emotional support interventions for children and staff and is a Colorado Shines Level 4 rated early childhood center.
In 2020, we reaffirmed our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), through the creation of a strategic plan that involves ongoing advocacy efforts around equitable practices and inclusive access to resources. We are fortunate to have a working board where all the members combine their talents in innovative ways on behalf of the organization and the community. In 2020 Gloria Kat became the first Latina to serve as the center’s Executive Director and she continues to guide our efforts for providing culturally competent services and advocating for a highly valued early childhood education workforce.
Our Mission
Working alongside diverse families we provide high quality childcare and supportive services, with an emphasis on cultural attunement with the Latinx community. This work is done with an explicit vision of creating a community in which all families are safe, supported, and thriving.
Our Core Values
In addition to the mission and vision, there are six core values that guide the work and are clearly defined as follows:
Trust
Inspiring confidence and mutual respect creates a foundation for reliable support and good stewardship.
Compassion
Every person has inherent dignity and is worthy of respect and empathy.
Diversity
Non-dominant cultures, identities, perspectives, and experiences are celebrated, embraced, and inform direction.
Equity
The structural, cultural, and relational inequities experienced by oppressed groups must be courageously recognized and dismantled.
Inclusion
All people feel welcome, valued, and empowered to contribute to, and participate in, community.
Love
Loving, healthy relationships are critical for children in the first five years of life and benefit the child, the family, and the entire community.
What is a Family Resource Center?
Family Resource Centers provide family support services to vulnerable families with children of all ages, no matter how a family is composed. Resource centers look different depending on the needs of each community, many offer childcare and other early childhood supports, like home visiting services and play groups. General services include access to basic needs, social capital, family driven goal setting, system navigation, and dedicated case management including protective factors assessment to keep families strong, with the ultimate objective of increasing that family’s well-being and economic stability.
Through a holistic approach The Family Center/ La Familia supports families through the provision of three pillars of service: Early Childhood Education & Care (El Nidito), Family Support Services, and Mi Voz a leadership development program.
Pillars of Service
El Nidito / Early Childhood Education
El Nidito, a state-licensed, Colorado Shines level 4 rated, early care and education program, providing a multicultural and bilingual experience for up to 75 children and families every day.
Family Support Services
Bilingual home and community-based services utilizing a strengths-based family-centered approach and education opportunities to support the whole family.
Mi Voz / Leadership & Advocacy
Mi Voz is dedicated to making positive changes in mobile home parks and the North College corridor by utilizing community strengths to create community-led solutions.