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Brandon Family Support And Resource Center Offers Free Classes, Activities

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By LAURA FRAZIER

lfrazier@tampatrib.com

Published: December 24, 2008

BRANDON - Scores of parents and grandparents with tots in tow gathered Dec. 13 at the Brandon Family Support and Resource Center, where holiday music and giggles filled the air and youngsters munched Christmas cookies while waiting for the man in the red suit to arrive.

The annual party is free to all county residents, and so are the services, classes and events offered year-round at the family center. The Brandon facility, in Kingsway Plaza at the intersection of Kingsway and Windhorst roads, is one of four centers funded primarily by the Children's Board of Hillsborough County. Others are in Ruskin, Town 'N Country and North Tampa.

Brandon family center manager Ligia Vigo and her staff coordinate a calendar packed full of freebies. There are play groups for parents and babies, ballet classes for preschoolers, volunteer opportunities for teens, and family counseling and parenting workshops.

There are no eligibility or financial requirements.

"This is truly universal access," Vigo said. "We're here to grow healthier, happier, stronger families from newborns to adults."

At the holiday party, Ken Roberson helped his daughters Kaleigh, 3, and Jaelyn, 2, decorate Christmas cards. He brings the girls to music classes at the center three times a week.

"They really like to use the little instruments, and they're learning Spanish," Roberson said.

When Santa Claus arrived, kids clamored for a place in line to share their wish lists and pose for pictures. Meanwhile, Keri Kellam and Kiki Amlaw claimed a corner with their babies to relax and chat.

Kellam discovered the center a little over a year ago after her daughter, Amelia, was born.

"I was a stay-at-home mom and really needed to interact with other moms," Kellam said. "I didn't know what to do with her."

The center has become a home away from home for Kellam and her daughter.

"Amelia learned to sit up, crawl and walk here," she said.

Amlaw rocked her son, Keaton, 4 months, as she fed him a bottle.

"When I was on maternity leave after he was born, I just needed to get out of the house and not go crazy," Amlaw said. "He loves it here, and so do I."

Several mothers said they learned about the center on social networking Web sites.

Holly Hebert moderates a "Mommy and Kids Near Brandon, FL" forum on www.cafemom.com. The group meets at the family center, Brandon Westfield mall, local parks and at one another's homes.

"This is a great place to meet new friends and interact with other parents," said Hebert, who came to the party with her 2-year-old daughter, Haley, and her husband, Rick.

"It's good for the dads, too. The whole family gets involved."

The center serves as a social hub for many families, but Vigo said its doors are open wide to anyone who needs counseling or information to help take care of their families.

"People can come here to use our fax, phones or computers to apply for jobs or do schoolwork. We'll help them apply for food stamps or health insurance, or maybe they need help to update their resume or brush up on their computer skills," Vigo said.

"We will stop what we're doing to help anyone who needs it."

BRANDON FAMILY SUPPORT AND RESOURCE CENTER

WHERE: 1277 Kingsway Road, Brandon

HOURS: 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

INFO: (813) 740-4634 or www .familysupporthc.org

Reporter Laura Frazier can be reached at (813) 657-4523.

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