On July 7, Clatsop County Community Outreach opened its doors in Astoria to serve teens in Clatsop County.
"Our goal is to serve the youth in the county, provide skill building and recreational activities," Executive Director Becka Blacksten said. "We want to keep them in school and off the streets."
Services offered by the organization include tutoring, mentoring, recreational activities and skill-building classes ranging in topics from self-esteem, decision-making and violence prevention.
Future plans for the organization, said Blacksten, are to "maintain the [current] Outreach Center and within a year develop a Youth Transitions Center, which will include a recreation room."
Currently Blacksten, along with 10 volunteers, run all activities sponsored by CCCO. Volunteers are needed for mentoring, tutoring, running workshops or answering the 24-hour crisis line. Fifteen hours of free training in crisis intervention and juvenile laws is provided.
The CCCO Center is located at 433 13th St. Hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with youth groups held in the evenings.
For more information, visit www.clatsopoutreach.org or call (503) 325-4370.