Foxx tours family resource

site for WAMY and OASIS
By Caroline Monday
cmonday@mountaintimes.com

U.S. Rep.Virginia Foxx (R-5) met with local nonprofits last week to tour what will soon be the Family Resource Center of Watauga County, a joint venture by OASIS and WAMY Community Action to create a center serving those in need in the High Country. The Family Resource Center will be located in the current Blue Ridge Pediatrics building, connected to Boone Drug’s Deerfield Road location.

OASIS executive director Jennifer Herman said she has long desired that the community have a “one-stop shop,” when it comes to accessing the services of local nonprofits. Many agencies share clients and the center will allow those clients to access services from multiple agencies more conveniently, while also allowing the center’s agencies to collaborate and further develop how they serve the community.

So far, OASIS and WAMY are the only two agencies to commit to the new location, but the Children’s Council is contemplating joining the project. The location will also have space available to rent to other organizations who also serve the families of the High Country. The 9,400-square-foot building cost $1.25 million with OASIS as a one-third owner and WAMY as a two-third owner.

Though the purchase of the building is recent, the desire to develop the center has existed for some time. It was in 2000 when OASIS, WAMY and the Children’s Council originally came together to identify opportunities to create a centralized center.

All of the partners in the Resource Center are dedicated to promoting safety, respect, economic self-sufficiency and a proactive investment in children and families. Some of the services that will be available at the center will be crisis intervention, employment counseling, childcare assistance, support groups, GED classes, parenting classes, case management and life skills workshops.

During Friday’s tour, Herman asked Foxx if it would be possible to earmark some federal funding to support the development of the center. Foxx said she had recently taken a pledge against earmarks, but she would help with finding federal grants to help fund the effort and to use her connections to private funders. “We’ll be happy to help you obtain money that is out there,” Foxx said.

She recommended that the organizations look for local and state funding before approaching the federal government for a grant. If they look for more localized funds first, Foxx said, the groups will be more likely to receive federal funds.

Foxx’s experience in the community college system has given her experience with grant seeking and fund raising. “It’s not rocket science,” she said, organizations seeking funding just need to relate their passion for their work and be able to show results.

Foxx particularly voiced her interest in the services that will be offered at the center to serve single parents. “I feel the burden that these people have is tremendous,” she said. “There needs to be a support network.”

Foxx said she was willing to support and help WAMY and OASIS as they develop the Family Resource Center and as they seek fundraising. She requested that they send her more information about the organizations and the project, so that she could have a deeper understanding of their goals. That information will “let me truly be an advocate for you,” Foxx said.

OASIS, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit serving residents of Watauga County who have been affected by domestic violence and sexual assault. WAMY Community Action serves residents of Watauga, Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties in an effort to alleviate poverty and promote individual and family self-sufficiency.