The Sacramento City Council recently approved $2 million in funding for the development of La Familia Counseling Center’s latest community project – the Opportunity Center.
The Opportunity Center aims to provide multicultural services to the South Sacramento community, according to officials. The center will be located on Franklin Boulevard between 37th and 38th avenues.
“We are incredibly thankful for the support we have received from the City of Sacramento, Mayor Darrell Steinberg and the community, which will allow us to move forward in the development of this new community hub,” said Rachel Rios, Executive Director at La Familia Counseling Center. “We envision the Opportunity Center as a center of hope for those living in the most disadvantaged and marginalized communities throughout the Sacramento region.”
The center is part of a larger neighborhood collaborative plan that seeks to connect the Franklin neighborhood with Sacramento’s inclusive economic development initiatives and to funnel more opportunities to individuals and families in underserved communities.
The $2 million, allocated from the City’s midyear budget review, will help La Familia pay off the property on Franklin Boulevard and construct the necessary infrastructure for the first phase of this development.
When completed, the center will have the physical space to offer a wide range of services including a fully-equipped career center and computer lab, parenting classes and support, health and mental health resources, employment services and collaborative spaces for community partners and administration.
“La Familia continues to be an important partner as we elevate how the city invests back into our community,’ said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “This opportunity center will be more than a community hub; it will catalyze our economy and provide a powerful resource that will train, connect, and support residents for successful careers.”
La Familia hopes to break ground on the project by the end of 2022.