A new community center, the Family Resource Advocacy Network, has opened its doors in northeast Salem, providing a hub for support, connection, and resource navigation for local families.

Community Leaders Gather for Grand Opening

The center, located on Northeast Lancaster Drive, was developed by the Fostering Hope Initiative of Catholic Community Services and was funded by the Larry & Jeannette Epping Family Foundation.

The center will offer a range of services, including gathering spaces, a children’s science room, and staff on premises to help with resource navigation. It will be managed by Catholic Community Services and will have eight initial community partners, including Marion County Health and Human Services and the Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children.

Government and nonprofit leaders have said the center will fill a needed gap in northeast Salem, one of the city’s most challenged neighborhoods with a higher rate of gun violence than other parts of the city.

At the grand opening, Catholic Community Services CEO Josh Graves emphasized the importance of community building, saying that the space is about “doing with our community” instead of “doing for our community.”

Epping Family Foundation President Gary Epping also spoke, saying that he hopes the center will provide a sense of safety and welcoming for people who walk through its doors.

Original reporting: Salem Reporter — read the source article.