Ashe County's Community And Family Partnership

Sometimes an idea comes along that makes sense and can have a profound impact on the quality of life and character of a community. Family Central is such an idea. Located at the former Ashe Central High School, Family Central nurtures the well being of our community through the coordinated delivery of family services and greatly expanded recreation opportunities.

Family Central serves its residents & visitors in many different capacities.

• A Small Business incubator for small business start up and/or expansion. Current businesses at Family Central are Creative Food Ventures/Specialty Foods of the Mountains, Wilkes Community College Cosmetic Arts Program and Morning Star Café.
• Recreation facility offering public use of the conference rooms for meetings and the community center for family reunions, class reunions, church gatherings, baby showers, and other special events. Ashe County Parks & Recreation is also located here, offering the gymnasium for special events and has organized indoor and outdoor activities for the young and old.
• One Stop Co-location for family services including: Employment Security Commission, Get REAL, Children's Development Services of the Blue Ridge, Ashe Partnership for Children, and New River Community Partners to name a few.
• This is a facility that has the potential to touch the life of every child and family in the community and region. When completed, the $6.5 million Family Central facility will include a 30-acre recreation complex as well as 65,000 square feet of enclosed office, incubation and recreation buildings.

Children's Developmental Services Agency of the Blue Ridge
(336)982-4754
Web Address: www.ncei.org

CDSA of the Blue Ridge is the lead agency for Early Intervention Services, particularly the North Carolina Infant-Toddler Program for children birth to age three. The CDSA also provides evaluation which assist in the eligibility for Preschool Services, children ages three to five. Feeding assessment, Augmentative Communication and Assistive Technology teams are available for the specialized needs of children.

Governor Morehead Preschool

(336) 982-8849

Provides Services for children birth to five who have visual impairments. A certified teacher provides these services in the child's home, at school, or in a community setting.

Employment Security Commission

(336) 982-4212
Web Address: www.ncesc.com

Joblink and Employment Security Commission are dedicated to providing and continuously improving career opportunities and services through the combined efforts of our community resources. Services Provided:

Get REAL

(336) 982-4834

Get REAL (Resources, Employment, Advancement, Learning), a part of the JobLink Career Center, assist youth ages 16-21, who are economically disadvantaged, meet their education and employment goals. Call Toll Free: 1-888-899-REAL (7325)

Ashe County Parks & Recreation

(336) 982-6185

Parks & Recreation offers many recreational Events & Programs throughout the year. The Family Central site offers lighted Athletic Fields. The facility has one football field, two baseball fields, and one soccer field. A multi-purpose room used for dance and other events. The gymnasium is open daily from 8am - 5pm for walkers. Open Gym for basketball or volleyball is open 5pm - 9pm Monday - Thursday. The Gym is also available for rental for private parties.

Throughout the year organized activities are offered. Events include: Adult Volleyball and Basketball Leagues, Youth Soccer, Football and Baseball leagues. Park Staff also provides Outdoor Educational programming including hikes, caving, canoeing and other outdoor adventures. For more information please contact our Parks and Recreation department Monday-Friday between 8am - 5pm.

NC Cooperative Extension/Ashe County
(336) 219-2650
Web Address: http://ashe.ces.ncsu.edu

"North Carolina Cooperative Extension is an educational partnership helping people put research-based knowledge to work for economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and an improved quality of life."

The Elite School of the Cosmetic Arts

(336) 982-6505

Offered by Wilkes Community College in collaboration with this Cosmetology School. Students completing the 1500-hour program will earn a Certificate and upon successful completion of State Board of Cosmetic Arts Exam will become licensed to practice in North Carolina. The program of study includes: nail, hair, and aesthetics. Also available to qualified high school students.