Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

St. James—The Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and Phelps County Public Housing Agency (PHA) Family Self-Sufficiency program will host a free Building Strong Families class on Feb. 14.

This class is designed to help families find their strengths, build on those strengths, and learn skills to create stronger families, improve relationships, and increase communication. Building Strong Families is based on research showing family members can make significant changes in their behavior by focusing on strengths rather than on problems. 

The class will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at Phelps County PHA, 4 Industrial Drive, St. James, with Christy Saylor, Missouri Ozarks Community Action (MOCA) county projects coordinator, presenting.

This workshop is offered at no cost to the participant. For more information or to RSVP, contact Savannah Vandegriffe at 573-265-4200 ext. 132.

Free training classes are a part of MRPC and PHA’s efforts to help prepare families by making them aware of the resources available to assist with self-sufficiency. Each participant who attends will receive a $25 Wal-Mart gift card, as long as they meet income qualifications.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Gasconade County Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel serves as chairman of the board. A professional staff of 25 offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

MRPC provides staffing to the Phelps County Public Housing Agency that provides rental assistance to over 750 low-income families in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps (outside the city limits of Rolla) and Washington counties. The PHA also offers the Family Self-Sufficiency Program where clients develop a goal-oriented, five-year plan that moves them toward self-sufficiency and independence from government programs.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion.

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