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Family Support Network Celebrates 20 Years Of Service
FSN
The ladies that make it happen at Family Support Network include, from left, Rossy Gomar, Shellie LaMar, Cathy Dollarhide, Maria Ramirez, and Monica Mosqueda. Not pictured but still a huge part of the team that help run FSN are Chayito Juavez, Marylu Ruiz, and Luly Arias.

This year Oak Valley Hospital District’s Family Support Network celebrates 20 years of service within the local community.

Family Support Network is a non-profit organization founded by Karen O’Bannon that provides community outreach, health education, parent support groups, resources and referrals for families that are going through tough times and are in need of assistance.

They provide no cost programs to English and Spanish families in Oakdale, Riverbank and surrounding areas. Among the programs offered are support groups for both youth and adults, and preschool readiness programs.

Family Support Network, commonly referred to as FSN, has a food pantry at its Oakdale location, 1405 W. F St., Suite A that includes common household goods and child care items such as diapers and formula.

“If families call us and they’re on the verge of a crisis, be it in housing or just common questions about where do they turn to, we are kind of like a hub to help guide them with resourceful phone numbers or see if it’s something that we can personally help them with, that’s what we’ve been doing,” Department Manager for Oak Valley Hospital Family Support Network Shellie LaMar stated.

The goal for the organization is to have children’s groups on a regular basis again – after having to curtail them somewhat during the height of the COVID restrictions – along with afterschool programs and women’s support groups.

At the beginning of the pandemic, FSN had the opportunity to expand promotora Rossy Gomar’s focus on mental health with children, women, and families into Riverbank through the Behavioral Health Recovery Services program and the help of Riverbank’s promotora, Luly Arias.

Arias works for FSN and helps coordinate the mental health services for the city of Riverbank through the network. She began as a volunteer for 12 years under Gomar’s program, and then took the opportunity to work for FSN and continue to spread mental health awareness.

Family Support Network program officials can be contacted by calling 209-847-5121.

They are open Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and closed on the weekends.

They are celebrating 20 years now, but hope there are many more to come for continuing to extend a helping hand to the community.