Carver County opens Family Resource Center in Chaska; grand opening set for Nov. 18

Carver County is moving forward with a Family Resource Center (FRC) in Chaska intended to coordinate preventive, family-centered services and reduce long-term demand for deeper systems of care.

Deputy Director Kate Proberstadron and community partner Kai (A Better Society) briefed the county on the FRC's soft launch, site selection, partners, and sustainability planning. The county and partners plan a ribbon-cutting for Nov. 18 and have been operating a limited soft-launch schedule to test hours and services.

Why it matters: The FRC model is an evidence-informed, preventive approach used in multiple states that combines immediate, concrete supports with referrals and longer-term connections. County staff said the center is designed to be a "no wrong door" for families who need help navigating food, housing, employment, child-care, and other supports.

What the county announced

Site, hours and partners: The county has secured roughly 3,000 sq. ft. of space at Chaska Moravian Church for the soft launch and plans the official open house Nov. 18. Current pilot hours are Tuesday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Thursday 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. On-site partners include housing navigation, SNAP application help, CareerForce workforce services, public-health navigation, cultural navigators for Hispanic/Latino and East African communities, and rotating county staff from child and family services and public health.

Funding and sustainability: Kate Proberstadron told the board that the county approved $400,000 to support the FRC launch and that a family foundation provided an implementation/startup grant. Staff said these funds are intended to sustain the center through an initial evaluation period (into late 2026) while the steering committee transitions to an advisory group and develops a longer-term business plan that will rely on diversified community funding, state grant opportunities, and partner contributions.

Operational approach and evaluation: Staff said the FRC will track short-term engagement metrics (visits, warm handoffs, referrals completed) and long-term outcomes in partnership with Wilder Research; the county will measure whether families receiving FRC services need less intensive county involvement over time. "Family Resource Center is a national model adapted by 47 states ... focusing on preventive services for parents and children," Deputy Director Kate Proberstadron said.

Early anecdote and community coordination: Presenters shared an early, soft-launch example in which a young adult who had recently left a halfway house "stumbled into the FRC" and was connected to shelter and transport resources. Kai, a community partner, described the immediate coordination to place the person in a shelter and arrange transport, illustrating the "warm handoff" approach staff aim to scale. The board asked staff for both quantitative metrics and human stories to report results to the public.

Next steps

Grand opening: Staff invited commissioners to the Nov. 18 ribbon-cutting and said they will add services incrementally through December and into 2026.

Evaluation and sustainability: The steering committee will transition to an advisory body in January 2026; staff will finalize KPIs and an evaluation partnership and pursue diversified funding (state grants, community foundation and nonprofit contributions, city and private partners).

Provenance

FRC presentation started at approximately 01:07:48 in the meeting; key supporting transcript excerpts include Kate Proberstadron's description of the FRC model and the story about an individual served during the soft launch.