Jul 1

Jul 1 South Sacramento 'Opportunity Center' gets $2 million lift from City of Sacramento

Breaking News, Helping all people thrive, Helping Sacramento work, Investing in young people, Supporting Sacramento's health

Sacramento (July 1 2022) Mayor Darrell Steinberg this week joined Councilmember Jay Schenirer in presenting $2 million to the La Familia organization for a new social service, job training and career coaching hub planned for south Sacramento.

The City Council earlier this year approved the funding for the Opportunity Center, which will be built on Franklin Boulevard between 37th and 38th avenues across from the existing Maple Neighborhood Community Center, one of two sites in South Sacramento operated by La Familia. La Familia expects to break ground for the Opportunity Center in 2022.

When completed, the Opportunity Center will have the physical space to offer career services, a computer lab, parenting classes and support, health and mental health resources, employment services, and collaborative spaces for community partners and administration.

*Image courtesy of La Familia and WMB Architects*

“We are incredibly thankful for the support we have received from the City of Sacramento, Mayor Darrell Steinberg and the community, which will allow us to move forward in the development of this new community hub,” said Rachel Rios, Executive Director at La Familia Counseling Center. “We envision the Opportunity Center as a center of hope for those living in the most disadvantaged and marginalized communities throughout the Sacramento region.”

The Opportunity Center is part of a larger neighborhood collaborative plan between La Familia and the Franklin Boulevard Business District that seeks to connect the Franklin neighborhood with Sacramento’s inclusive economic development initiatives and to funnel more opportunities to individuals and families in underserved communities.

The $2 million, allocated from the City’s midyear budget review, will help La Familia pay off the property on Franklin Boulevard and construct the necessary infrastructure for the first phase of this development.

“La Familia continues to be an important partner as we elevate how the city invests back into our community,” said Mayor Steinberg. “The Opportunity Center will be more than a community hub; it will catalyze our economy and provide a powerful resource that will train, connect, and support residents for successful careers.”