Prairie Family Center

A nonprofit organization

Prairie Family Center (PFC) provides education, support and basic needs to those who need it most on the eastern plains of rural Colorado. Through our network of partnerships and collaborations, PFC provides cost-free programs that empower autonomy and self-efficacy to all ages.

Testimonials

"I am SO glad you guys are here... because without you being here, we'd have nothing!" ~ A Concerned Single Father

"We just LOVE coming to this class! Healthier Living is awesome!" ~ Charlotte & Susan

"Our kids have SO much fun at Cooking Matters after-school. I love how Prairie Family Center sends food home with them so they can prepare what they've learned in class - at home for us!" ~ Parent

"The No Kid Hungry Pilot Program was a huge help for our family. We were struggling to make ends meet during the summer months when our kids are out of school. Thank you for including us." - Participant

"This Tai Chi class for Balance is really working for me... I am starting to really feel the difference in the way I turn and twist when standing!" ~ Pat

Mission

Provide our community with the tools & resources to build, support and educate healthy families.

Background Statement

Prairie Family Center (PFC) was formed in 1997 to help the at-risk and under-served families in the Kit Carson County area. In 1998 PFC, joined with 20 other family resource centers, created the Family Resource Center Association (FRCA) which is housed in Denver. The FRCA manages the database infrastructure for other member resource centers that belong to the association and Prairie Family Center remains a member to date. FRCA also provides public advocacy, capacity building, and resource development to strengthen our statewide network of family resource centers as they bring help and hope to Colorado families.

On a narrower scope, Prairie Family Center focuses on primarily the Kit Carson County area which translates into the townships of Burlington, Bethune, Stratton, Vona, Seibert and Flagler. However, many times folks that live in nearby counties frequently travel the distance to attend PFC's programs and events.

In 2001, Prairie Family Center received it's IRS-recognized nonprofit status and 501(c)(3) designation. Since then, PFC has help thousands of families and individuals with resources that are scant or very limited in their availability in our area. Prairie Family Center serves a county that has been labeled "Frontier" or "Rural-Frontier". What this describes is an area whose population density is less than 6 people living per square mile. Kit Carson County has a 3.8 population density. (US Census Bureau) To put this into perspective, Denver County has a population density of 3,922! Taking this into consideration, one can imagine the lack of resources available for those families whose needs are higher. They may be aging and need Social Security application assistance or have undergone an injury and are no longer able to work and therefore need to apply for Social Security Disability as a support to their income so they can put food on the table. Or they may be unable to afford proper health insurance due to their income level and need help with Medicaid. Prairie Family Center is primarily a resource & referral organization and therefore, we are able to either help them contact SSDI, SSI or Medicaid and either are granted coverage or denied. If denied, PFC activates our referral network and works to help them gain proper coverage and give them confidence and encouragement that they can be self-sustaining. It is because of this, that Prairie Family Center has been and continues to be so successful with those at-risk living in this area.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Prairie Family Center

other names

PFC

Year Established

2001

Category

Human Services

Organization Size

Medium Organization

Address

PO Box 684 1040 Rose Avenue
Burlington, CO 80807

Service areas

Kit Carson County, CO, US

Phone

719-346-5398

Fax

719-346-0143

Main Number

719-346-5398