ODESSA, Texas — "Welcome to the Family Resiliency Center, we don't call this a waiting room, we call it a living room because we don't want it to feel like a doctor's office. We want people to feel comfortable from the minute they walk in," Chandra Quintanar, FRCPB program coordinator said.
This is a place of love.
A place of hope.
And a place of community.
The need for it’s existence was so apparent last year after that horrific day.
"Back in September they started meeting to discuss what would be beneficial for the community.Their name is Rise Permian Basin. They were the group that started the conversation," Quintanar said.
That conversation turned into reality on February 1, 2020 when Chandra and Denise moved into the building and started working full time.
And they started helping people right after the launch - March 5, 2020.
Even though this center is still fairly new, it’s walls already breathe of a bond that surpasses West Texas.
"After the shooting in Santa Fe, one of the families of one of the victims sponsored this activity and they sent us these painted hearts," Quintanar said.
And the city of Aurora, Colorado sent a paper wreath. Each crease folded so intentionally.
The center is offering support groups, painting classes, cooking sessions, yoga workouts and really anything else you’d like. They want to help anyone and everyone that lives in the Permian Basin.
Even our own Jolina Okazaki paints for this center.
"I had someone here reach out to me, Chandra, and she was talking about how she wanted to hold these workshops and it's to help people get into their creative outlet," Jolina Okazaki, Newswest 9 Sunrise anchor said.
Their services come free because of their grant through the Victim of Crimes Act.
"This is huge for me. I've said for a long time I work to pay the bills and I help people to soothe my soul and I get to do both here. I'm getting emotional. It's the coolest thing," Quintanar said.
The staff that work here know just how hard this anniversary will be on some people.
"Anniversaries are very commonly difficult for people, whether they were directly impacted, so they lost someone, or they were injured in the shootings," Quintanar said.
So they’re here to help any way they can.
That door is open, today and any day after it.
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