History
A task force of community leaders including our local Family Court Judge, Juvenile Probation Officers, the District Attorney's Office, local law enforcement officials, local school officials, and social service agencies formed the Safe Schools Task Force in May 1999. The task force met bi-weekly over the summer to consider ways to maintain our excellent safe school record and maintain a safe community for our young people. The LINC Program was developed by the task force and a coordinator was hired on October 3, 1999. The task force recognized that to really have an impact on juvenile crime and violence, everyone involved would have to work together to ensure success. The LINC Program became a means of connecting people to services prior to a child's involvement in criminal activity. Since 1999, the task force's vision of a comprehensive approach to addressing potential juvenile crime and violence has solidified and grown. As a natural progression to enhance the program and open new doors for funding, the LINC Program incorporated as a non-profit agency in February 2002. In mid 2007, the LINC Program updated its mission and changed its name to Family Links to better reflect all of the services we offer.
Family Links is funded in part by:
Governor's Office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives, HIPPY of Alabama, ADECA Governor's Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, Anniston Civil Justice Fund of Alabama Civil Justice Fund, Sheriff's Office Discretionary Funds, Jacksonville City Schools, Calhoun County Schools, Oxford City Schools, Administrative Office of Courts, Department of Youth Services, Wal-Mart Foundation, Americorps, A grant from the Stringfellow Health Fund of the Community Foundation of Calhoun County, Susan Artemis Spector and son Conner Jacob Memorial Advised Fund, Private Donations and Fundraising.
Family Links also receives funds from United Way for counseling services.
