• Home
• Who We Are
  • News/Press Releases
  • Staff & Board
  • Financials
• Who We Fund
  • List of Agencies
  • Agency Tools
  • Allocation Process
• How You Can Help
  • Workplace Campaigns
  • Taste of the Grand Valley
  • Business Sponsors
  • Volunteer
• Donate Now

© Copyright United Way of Mesa County. All Rights Reserved.

Building Strong Families

The Building Strong Families investment area focuses on programs that provide prevention and intervention services that ensure the safe and healthy development of children and youth, enhance parenting skills, offer respite to caregivers, and promote community involvement.

United Way of Mesa County helps build strong families in Mesa County by funding the programs listed below in the 2011-12 funding year:

American Red Cross (242-4851) Babysitting Certification-funds scholarships for qualifying youth to complete the babysitter-CPR/First Aid training. 

Boy Scouts of America – Western Colorado Council (243-0346) builds character, leadership & life skills, preparing young people to make ethical decisions throughout their lives. 

Court Appointed Special Advocates (242-4191) screens, trains and supervises citizen volunteers to serve as the voice in court for abused and neglected children living in foster care.

Girl Scouts of Colorado – Mesa County (242-4461) Troop Pathways-Youth development program conducted by adult volunteers who help girls gain life skills, learn how to relate others, develop values, and contribute to a multi-cultural community. Girls Are Great- a ten week transitional program for fifth grade girls.  Power Up!- a bully prevention and education program.

Grand Junction Imagination Library (208-9128) Provides a brand new, age-appropriate book to participating children each month until their fifth birthday at no cost to their family.

Hilltop Community Resources (242-4400) B4 Babies & Beyond-single entry point for prenatal care services for low-income women and a one stop health care access point for families with children who need primary and preventive health care services. Family First-an early childhood and parenting education program serving at risk families. Kiddin’ Around Learning Center-provides educational and recreational activities designed to address the needs of children with a wide range of abilities.  Latimer House-provides a safe environment where victims of domestic violence can find refuge, support and resources for building violence-free lives.  Grand Valley Senior Daybreak (241-7798) an adult day program that provides frail seniors with daily care and activities in safe, relaxed, enjoyable surroundings, allowing respite for caregivers.  

Kids Voting Mesa County (245-3414) a non-partisan, grassroots organization that cultivates the values of citizenship by giving young people the knowledge, tools and motivation for democratic living.  

Mesa County Partners (245-5555) One-to-One Mentoring-provides trained and supervised adult mentors to youth from high-risk environments.  Restitution/Community Service Work Program-juvenile offenders are supervised in performing community service work and earn stipends to pay restitution to their victims. Western Colorado Conservation Corp-employs and trains young adults (ages 16-22) by contracting with public land to carry out public land improvement projects.  

Mesa Developmental Services (243-3702) Infant/Toddler Early Intervention-provides free, home-based therapy services to infants and toddlers diagnosed with or at risk for developmental delays.  Respite-offers a pool of respite care providers specially trained in caring for medically fragile and emotionally disturbed children.   

Riverside Educational Center (245-9512) a community-oriented program promoting academic success by providing a safe place to go for homework help, structured tutoring sessions, enrichment activities and by facilitating a strong communication link between home, school and student.  

St. Mary's Foster Grandparent (263-9091) recruits, trains and matches seniors age 55+ with volunteer opportunities serving special needs children.  

The Parenting Place of Western Colorado (254-8240) Bright Beginnings provides in-home visits to parents of children newborn through age three, sharing information on child development, nutrition, safety, and health.   Family Support-Provides education, encouragement and support for parents and/or caregiver through newborn, infant, crawlers and toddlers groups. Parenting That Works-offers parent education classes through Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (S.T.E.P.). 

Western Slope Center for Children (245-3788) a child advocacy center that facilitates & coordinates with governmental agencies and independent service providers to reduce the trauma of investigations of child sexual abuse, severe physical abuse and child witnesses to violence.