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Dunsmuir
Kids' Factory Family Resource Center
PO Box 764 (4103 Pine Street)
Dunsmuir, CA 96025
(530) 235-4005
kidsfactory@sbcglobal.net
Emily Warn - Executive Director
The Kids’ Factory kidsfactory.org mission is to encourage healthy lifestyles and
successful choices for the children and families of the Dunsmuir community. The Kids’ Factory vision is the hope that Dunsmuir families will
receive the community support, referrals and resources necessary to meet their own family’s needs. The children and families of Dunsmuir
will have ample opportunity to engage in learning and personal growth through the programs that evolve from the Kids’ Factory.
The Kids’ Factory will be responsive to and accountable to the community that it serves.
In our 6th year as an operational FRC we have limited our growth to building the capacity of our current programs and have not developed many new programs. We have expanded with
the MHSA programs and the Senior Information and Assistance Program. We are working at growing stronger not larger.
Our Board has
changed with some new folks joining and others moving on to other responsibilities. We have a very large and effective advisory group that provides
advice and support as needed but does not require meeting attendance.
Community Volunteers are utilized in a variety of ways. We have an agreement with the Siskiyou County Courts to provide opportunities for community service requirements. We utilize students in many of our
programs as volunteers and hire student interns, provide them training and a stipend for our Summer Camp program. Many others volunteer - we have
some Welfare to Work clients that provide many services for us.
Our increase is due to new partnerships with Human Services. We work with Human Services, DA office, Law Enforcement, Fire Dept., churches in Dunsmuir, Mercy Mt. Shasta, Siskiyou Medical Group, Dunsmuir Elementary
and High Schools, Castle Rock School, Behavioral Health Department, apartment owners and landlords, real estate agencies, Rotary Club, Lions and
Lady Lions, Eagles and Lady Eagles, Mattole Valley Charter School, Public Health Department, Siskiyou County Office of Education, School Readiness
Coordinator, Shasta Head Start, state preschools, Work Force Connection, STEP, and almost all local businesses.
We send home 300 flyers
monthly through the schools and post events around town. We also coordinate with other service providers to make sure their clients know our schedule
and services.
As part of the FRC Network we have many opportunities to collaborate locally, regionally and state-wide. We do meet as a
regional south county group with Mercy Mt. Shasta and this has been a wonderful partnership.
Current Project Objectives (07-08) - Funded by First 5 Siskiyou for $40,000
- Through co-locating WIC at our site we provide opportunities for families to receive servies in their community rather
than driving far to receive them.)
- Healthy Families Outreach in partnership with the preschools, Head start and kindergarten classes. We outreach in the
fall with a mini-Health fair at Back-to-School or Parent's nights.
- Through our nutrition education we provide opportunities to learn more about healthy food and exercise or lifestyle
choices.
- Smoking cessation and educational materials are provided for families.
- Injury prevention meetings, car seat and helmet distribution and training.
- Breastfeeding resources are provided.
- Successful Playgroup facilitated by an ECE specialist.
- Annual puppet show provided by Siskiyou Domestic Violence.
- Home visits to help promote child development awareness and support nurturing as exemplified in the PIPE model for
new parents.
- Family Game NIght provides an opportunity to meet new friends and learn board games and other alternatives to TV.
Free books are provided to all children in attendance.
- Literacy nights are coordinated with the preschools and promote early reading skill development.
- Weekly onsite visits are made to preschools and kindergarten to teach Spanish and promote literacy.
- Summer Camp is a program for summer activities to promote continued learning opportunities and provide learning materials
for children entering kindergarten.
- Saturday Arts and Crafts - an enrichment program for children on the weekends, facilitated by an artist
from Siskiyou Arts Council/Arts Bus.
- Book give-aways and kindergarten readiness event with backpacks filled with supplies to build skills in the summer.
- Parent classes in cooperation with College of the Siskiyous and Parenting Now.
- Megan's Law class for parents.
- Budget and debt counseling.
- AA group for women only with childcare and refreshments.
- Drop-in resource library and book and video loans. Trained ECE staff on hand to answer age apropriate and development
questions for parents.
- Resources as needed to promote school readiness. Assistance with obtaining a birth certificate and many other direct
referrals or assistance to remove roadblocks to school entry.
- We work with many organizations and do cross trainings with other agecies. We also provide trainings to other service
staff to increase provider awareness of our services.
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