In the fall of 1988, a number of dedicated individuals formed a new non-profit society here in Golden, named the Golden Family Services Center Society. The desire to offer counselling, support, and prevention services through a formal organization grew out of deep concerns that existed at the time – both in Golden and throughout the province – about teen pregnancy and struggling young parents.
After provincial funding was secured, office space was rented, and staff were hired, the Golden Family Services Center opened its doors in March 1989 on the second floor of the Bank of Montreal Building (now the Patlar building).
In the beginning, the Golden Family Services Center was much smaller than it is today. There were just a few offices with one administrator, a family counsellor and an addictions counsellor. Fairly quickly, more services were offered. That same year, Victim Support Services moved into the space as a separate society. In 1990, the Community Advocacy Project, dedicated to helping people access the justice system, also started up in the same location. In 1991, the Golden Family Services Center Society and the Golden Victim Support Service Society amalgamated under the name we still have today: the Golden Family Center Society.
Over the past 25 years, despite the Community Advocacy Project ending in 2001 due to funding cuts, the Golden Family Center has grown significantly. There is now a combination of full- and part-time qualified staff who support the delivery of a wide range of counselling and support services. You can still find us on the second floor of the Patlar building right in downtown Golden.
