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An annual nation-wide event, National Night Out Against Crime is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; to support local anti crime programs; and to strengthen neighborhoods and police-community partnerships. NNO has proven to be an effective, inexpensive and enjoyable way for LCS' Family Centers to promote neighborhood spirit and safety. The benefits to each family center's surrounding community extend far beyond the one night.

Here are folks at LCS’ Cascade, Lake Stevens and South Everett centers enjoying National Night Out 2008:

LCS' Family Support Centers serve as hubs where local residents create a sense of community and work together with LCS staff to provide resources and to address issues that affect their lives. "We have many families coming in that are new to the area," notes Juanita Clifford, program coordinator at South Everett Neighborhood Center. "A lot of them just need to talk, sit at a table - not go somewhere where they have to take a number or sit in a waiting room just so they can talk to someone. Families walk away feeling like 'there is hope', 'people do care'. " Like many communities across the Northwest, those served by the Centers are home to increasingly diverse populations. It's not uncommon to hear Spanish, Russian and many other languages being spoken by Center staff and participants on any given day.

LCS’ Family Support Centers include:

• Cascade People’s Center - serving the Cascade neighborhood between Lake Union and downtown Seattle
• Lake Stevens Family Center - serving north Snohomish County
• Family Support Center of South Snohomish County - serving the communities of Lynnwood, Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace
• South Everett Neighborhood Center - serving residents of south Everett and Mukilteo
• Familias Unidas - serving Latino families and communities throughout Snohomish County
• The Village at Angle Lake Family Resource Center - LCS’ newest family support center, opened in 2007, reaching out to long-underserved communities in south King County.

Thanks to all who helped make these events such a success.
See you next year!