A BOOST FOR FAMILY SERVICES — Aetna Better Health has donated $50,000 to each of West Virginia’s family support centers. On hand for a presentation of the donation to the Brooke County Family Support Center, located in the Bruin Bridge alternative school, were, from left, Jason Cline, who serves on the advisory council for the Brooke-Hancock Family Resource Network, which oversees the center; Brittany Kuhn, interim director of the Brooke County Family Support Center; Janna Gordon, executive director of the Brooke-Hancock FRN: and Taylor Daugherty, community development coordinator for Aetna Better Health. -- Warren Scott

Family resource centers in Brooke and Hancock counties each have received a financial boost in their efforts to serve local children and their families.

On Wednesday, a representative of Aetna Better Health, a health care coverage provider serving West Virginia’s Medicaid program, presented $50,000 to each center.

Taylor Daugherty, community development coordinator for Aetna, said the donations are among many, in the same amount, being made to family support centers throughout the state.

Locally, the Brooke-Hancock Family Resource Network received a grant from the federal Bureau for Children and Families a few years ago to open support centers offering food and supplies to families in need and information and activities for all children and parents.

The Brooke County Family Support Center is located in the Bruin Bridge alternative school, formerly Wellsburg Middle School, operated by Brooke County Schools.

The Hancock County Family Support Center is within Chester City Hall on Indiana Avenue.

Daugherty said Aetna has supported efforts by the two and other family support centers in the past, but this is the first year it’s provided donations of this scope.

Of the family support centers, she said, “They do a lot of good in the community. I’ve seen it myself.”

Janna Gordon, executive director of the Brooke-Hancock FRN, said plans call for the donations to be used to establish for both counties an after-school program where children can receive homework assistance and participate in various activities.

Gordon said the centers will try to coordinate such programs around existing ones that may be offered by the local school districts, and many details have to be worked out.

Brittany Kuhn, director of the Brooke County center, said the money also will be used to establish a program where new parents can receive advice and support.

The group is aimed at parents 25 and younger with children 5 and under, and Jason and Dani Cline have been tapped to lead it.

Jason said as the parents of three boys, all under 9 years old, he feels prepared to help individuals deal with the stress that comes with being a new mother or father and share tips about good nutrition and other care.

A local pastor, Jason also has led the center’s Dadtitude group, which serves a similar purpose for fathers and other male caregivers, while Betsy Nixon has led the Me Time for Moms group there.

Kuhn said there’s also a group for grandparents and other caregivers who aren’t parents.

Gordon said under the direction of Hannah Hebrock, the Hancock County center offers a group for mothers while another for fathers is being formed.

Both centers also provide food, personal hygiene supplies and materials for infants to families in need on a monthly basis.

Much of the food comes through the Mountaineer Food Bank, a nonprofit organization affiliated with Feeding America, though both centers welcome donations of nonperishable food and personal hygiene products.

In cooperation with the food bank, the centers are able to provide emergency food bags to families facing crises.

Kuhn said with Mountaineer Food Bank’s support, the Brooke County center also is providing food bags to 25 senior citizens in need and may expand that service.

Gordon noted the FRN office at 1300 Potomac St. in Weirton also maintains a food pantry.

For information about the food pantries, call (304) 748-7850, ext. 1003, in Hancock County and (304) 748-7850, ext. 1004, in Brooke County.

Kuhn said the Brooke County center has partnered with the Brooke County Public Library, with Kim Harless, its program director, leading story hours there.

Gordon said the Hancock County center has helped to promote programs offered by the Lynn Murray Memorial Library nearby and participated in various community events held by other not-for-profit groups.

She said of the various services offered by the two centers, “Both are trying to find gaps in community services that need to be filled.”