The Women’s Resource Center is increasingly called upon to work on system-wide issues affecting women and girls such as poverty, health care, domestic violence, cancer prevention, substance abuse and more. We are looked to as “the voice” for women. Center staff and volunteers provide their expertise to variety of initiatives working on behalf of women and girls.
Habitat for Humanity
WRC supports Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build projects which provide women a non-intimidating opportunity to gain basic construction skills and allow them to take part in a larger goal of helping a family move into safe and affordable housing. During Women Build, women and girls 16 and older volunteer in the construction of a single family home. No previous construction experience is necessary. For information about forthcoming Women Build projects, call 382-9735.
Women’s Wellness Connection
WRC is a supporter of The Women’s Wellness Connection and encourages women to stay healthy. No woman should go without annual breast and cervical screenings. To insure that every woman has access, the Women’s Wellness Connection program, funded by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offers Pap tests, mammograms and clinical breast exams to women ages 40-64. These services are free of charge to women who live in Colorado, are legal residents, have no health insurance or are underinsured, and meet income qualifications. Last year the program screened over 13,000 women in Colorado. Its goal this year is to screen 15,000.
There are more than 120 sites in the state where women can participate in the program. Locally the screenings are offered by Planned Parenthood and San Juan Basin Health Department. To find out if they are eligible, women may call a state hotline at Call 866-951-9355 for more information.
A Voice in Policy
WRC encourages women to be politically active regardless of their party affiliation. We believe that women everywhere owe it to our foremothers for their courageous fight to earn us the right to vote. La Plata County voters can learn more about current election candidates and issues from the League of Women Voters.
Every March during Women’s History Month, we work with the Fort Lewis College Women and Gender Studies Program faculty, staff and students to present a series of low-cost or free lectures on current issues that affect women and families today.
Violence Prevention Coalition
WRC is a member of the Violence Prevention Coalition of Southwest Colorado, which brings together social service agencies, law enforcement and the courts to work on issues related to women and violence. The WRC Executive Director is a member of the VPC’s Public Education Committee.
Smoking Cessation Efforts
WRC is proud to work with San Juan Basin Health Department’s tobacco use prevention and education division on a strategic plan related to disparately-affected populations and their unique needs when quitting smoking. These include people of low socio-economic status (SES), people with disabilities (physical and mental), youth and minorities. WRC will concentrate its efforts on women of low SES and girls entering high school.
Colorado Consumer Health Initiative
WRC is member of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, a unified, statewide organization of more than 200 agencies, consumers and consumer advocates whose goal is adequate and affordable health care for everyone in the state.
Women’s History Month
Each March, we partner with the Fort Lewis College Gender and Women’s Studies Program and other organizations to produce a series of low-cost or free events that raise awareness about issues that impact women and their ability to take care of themselves and their families.
2014 Events Coming Soon!