These are listings of organizations which exist to help children and youth in our community in some way.  They are resources for both youth and parents to utilize, including places where adults can volunteer to help children in our community.

Please contact us to add a listing.

Advocacy & Consultation for Children's Educational Services and Support (ACCESS)
(888) 834-4340, deborablake@aol.com
Debora A. Blake, J.D. is an education and advocate consultant service western and central Michigan.

Advocacy Services for Kids (ASK)
414 E. Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, (269) 343-5896
The mission of Advocacy Services for Kids is to empower families raising children with mood, behavior and emotional disorders, by providing support, training and advocacy skills, and collaborating with community partners to improve the system of care for children.

The Arcadia Institute
1000 Oakland Dr, Kalamazoo, (269) 387-7423
The Arcadia Institute started the Community Participation Initiative in 2006, which makes it possible for children and adults with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of community life, as they choose. The goal of the Community Participation Initiative is to assist children and adults with disabilities in determining their interests and then find organizations or programs in the community for them to pursue those interests. To accomplish that we create partnerships with community agencies that offer activities that are open to ALL citizens. We then provide program staff the assistance they need to welcome and include people with disabilities.

Autism Society of Kalamazoo Battle Creek
814 S Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo, (269) 372-1509
The Autism Society of Kalamazoo/BattleCreek is a nonprofit Organization with historic roots in Kalamazoo. Their chief desire is to connect individuals within the autism spectrum as well as their community with life long access to resources and opportunities through advocacy, public awareness, education, and research.

Catholic Family Services
1819 Gull Road Kalamazoo, (269) 381-9800
The vision of Catholic Family Services is to have a leadership presence in communities throughout the Diocese of Kalamazoo, to be recognized as a premier provider of social services and an effective advocate for the welfare of people in need.  Programs include The ARK Shelter, The ARK Community Services, Youth in Transition (Van Buren County), Baraga Manor (Allegan County), Bridges (9 counties), and Caring Network & Teen Parent (Kalamazoo, Berrien and Van Buren counties).

Children and Adults with AD/HD (CHADD) - Kalamazoo Chapter
4341 S. Westnedge Avenue, Suite 2101, Kalamazoo, (269) 384-2270
Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) – is a national non-profit organization working for and supporting families and individuals affected by AD/HD. The Kalamazoo County CHADD is one of over 200 chapters nationwide providing local support and resources. Participants in CHADD form a close network and exchange helpful ideas for living with AD/HD. 

Children's Advocacy Resources for Education
The Law Office of Kristin Totten, 2442 Ramblewood Dr, Kalamazoo, 269-270-1278, kristin@kristintotten.com
C.A.R.E. was created to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities and their parents are protected. Specifically, the right that all children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) focused on special education and related services designed to meet the child's unique needs and prepare her/him for further education, employment, and independent living.

Community Advocates for Persons with Developmental Disabilities
814 S. Westnedge Ave. Kalamazoo, (269) 342-9801
An advocacy organization to make it possible for each person with a disability to participate fully in all aspects of community and to support the effort of each individual to determine his/her own future.

Comstock Community Center
6330 King Hwy, Comstock, Kids Korner: (269) 345-7243; Primetime and Kindercare: (269) 488-3294
Comstock Community Center develops resources and provides a setting for education, recreation, social events, human service and life long learning activities to enhance the lives of community members and build a healthier community.  The offer a Kids' Korner and other youth programs.

Douglass Community Association
1000 W. Paterson St., Kalamazoo, (269) 343-6185
Their mission is to provide and facilitate quality comprehensive health and human services, along with family enrichment activities, through collaboration and partnerships with other individuals and organizations who share their vision. They are location on Paterson St. in north Kalamazoo, and offer youth services, family and community counseling, and a family advocate program, among other things.  

Family and Children Services
1608 Lake St, Kalamazoo, (269) 344-0202
Family & Children Services is a private, non-profit, non-sectarian human service agency serving Calhoun and Kalamazoo counties. Family & Children Services offers a variety of critical human services for residents of Calhoun and Kalamazoo counties that are delivered in clients’ homes, at two agency service sites and a variety of off-site locations. Programs include Foster Care and Adoption, counseling for adults and children, respite services, parenting support and much, much more.

The Family Connection
Relationship Development Intervention Consultation
Carrie Olson, RDI Consultant:  (269) 352-5568, carrieolson66@hotmail.com
Amanda Edmiston, RDI Consultant:  (269) 599-5955, amandae5580@yahoo.com
Visit the national RDIconnect website for more information about Relationship Development Intervention.

Future For Teens
P.O Box 20051, Kalamazoo, Future4teens@ymail.com
Future 4 Teens is where youth can gain support and the resources needed to strive for excellence and acquire success. Our services cater to the emotional, psychological, and educational needs of youth populations. This site will orient you to the variety of services that we provide from workshops on self-awareness and identity development to forums that value critical dialogue about hip hop, academic achievement, male and female image, and much more.

Kalamazoo Community Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services
Access Center: 418 W Kalamazoo Ave, Kalamazoo, (269) 373-6000 or 1-888-373-6200 (both 24 hours)
KCMHSAS services are designed to provide assistance for the individual with a mental health or substance abuse problem. They support the individual, their family and their friends to enable them to live a more meaningful life.

Kalamazoo County Child Abuse and Neglect Council
3299 Gull Rd, P.O.Box 275, Nazareth, (269) 552-4430
The Kalamazoo County Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) Council envisions an involved and informed community where all children live free from abuse and neglect. To carryout the mission, CAN will educate community members and advocate for the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Kalamazoo County Substance Abuse Task Force
611 Whitcomb Street, Suite A, Kalamazoo, (269) 388-4200
A dedicated group of community members that develop strategies, programs, and practices to address alcohol and substance abuse issues in our community. This effort involves reducing access to substances, preventing high-risk behaviors, promoting community awareness, connecting community resources, and providing education.

Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency
1819 East Milham Road | Kalamazoo, (269) 385-1500
The Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency is committed to providing a wide variety of quality, educational support services and programs across Kalamazoo County and around the state. KRESA offers educational and parenting support and classes throughout the Kalamazoo area.  Visit their website for information about all their programs and events.

Kalamazoo WRAPS
(269) 343-5896
Kalamazoo Wraps is a county-wide initiative to improve mental health services for youth, made possible by a federally funded, 6-year, 9-million dollar Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant, awarded in 2005.  They also offer youth leadership activities and have organized "Calling All Youth", their Youth Advisory Board.  

Kalamazoo Youth Development Network
709 South Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo, (269) 343-2524
KYDNet serves as a catalyst for positive youth development in Kalamazoo County through networking, community partnerships, collaborations, and the delivery of innovative capacity-building training programs for youth-serving organizations, youth workers, and youth in Kalamazoo County. KYDNet’s research-based methods foster continuous improvement of positive youth development in Kalamazoo County. Partners include: Youth-Serving Organizations, Area Youth, Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, Kalamazoo Community Foundation.  They have an online calendar of event for youth ages 12 - 18 (link to this also on our events calendar page) and you can contact them to sign up on be on their e-mailing list.

Parent to Parent of SW Michigan
406 E Michigan, Kalamazoo, (269) 345-8950
Parent to Parent of Southwest Michigan is a non-profit community organization offering services at no cost to families who have children with disabilities or special needs.

PhysioKids
5659 Stadium Dr, Bldg A, Kalamazoo, (269) 372-0436
Physio Kids is a multidisciplinary pediatric clinic offering occupational, speech and physical therapy for children from birth through age 16.

Prevention Works
611 Whitcomb St. 2nd Floor, Kalamazoo, (269) 388-4200
The mission of Prevention Works is to build stronger communities by providing comprehensive health education services to youth and families. Prevention Works prides itself on our core values which are: prevention of high risk behaviors, youth and family empowerment, health promotion through education, community resource collaboration, stewardship, and proven programmatic excellence. Prevention Works, Inc. reaches over 5,000 youth and families annually with research based health education programming designed to assist community members with positive decision making in regard to health and social issues.

Professional Development & Training Center of SW MI
808 S Westnedge, Kalamazoo, 269-492-1460
In this competitive employment market it is important to keep you skills top notch during your parenting years.  PDTC offers Certificate programs and Training Solutions which are 2 hour block classes of MSWord 07, Excel and PowerPoint, both have no more than ten students in each program.  Read more about the education that PDTC offers to parents.  Executive Director Stacy Rodgers also has experience in providing a motivational talk about investing in yourself as you are raising and investing in your family.  Please contact PDTC of SW MI for more information.

Resource Center Youth Group
269-349-4234, contact@kglrc.org
This group meets regularly to provide a safe, supportive environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning & allied youth ages 13-20.  Contact the Resource Center for more information at 269.349.4234 or email.  Meetings are held weekly. The location is kept confidential - in order to find out the location, please call or email the Resource Center.

Roofsit Community Healing Centers
(269) 488-7580
Roofsit Events raise funds to help stop child abuse in our communities.  The Community Healing Centers is a non-profit community based organization that is committed to providing healing and prevention services to children, adults, and families in southwest Michigan. The Children’s Advocacy Center and the Infant and Parent Services programs at The Elizabeth Upjohn Community Healing Center are the beneficiaries of the funds raised at Roof Sit.  The Children’s Advocacy Center provides counseling and specialized treatment for children who have been sexually abused and need help healing.  The Infant and Parent Services Program provides support and education to parents and families who are “at-risk”. These support services help to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Safe Kids Kalamazoo County
601 Johns St. Box 80, Kalamazoo, (269) 341-8830
Safe Kids Kalamazoo County seeks to reduce the number of preventable childhood deaths and injuries by uniting diverse groups and individuals to:

• Educating adults and children

• Creating safe environments

• Conducting research

• Advocating for effective laws

Specialized Language Development Center
504 S. Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo, (269) 345-2661, info@sldcenter.org
525 Cheshire Dr NE, Grand Rapids, (616) 361-1182, info@sldcenter.org
The Specialized Language Development (SLD) Center , a community resource of West Michigan, is committed to bringing the power of reading, writing and spelling to all individuals with dyslexia or other unique learning styles, enabling them to achieve their full potential.

Upward Bound
Multicultural Affairs, 2211 Ellsworth Hall, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, (269) 387-3391
The Upward Bound Program provides fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their precollege performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits. Upward Bound serves low-income and/or first generation high school students who are preparing to enter post-secondary education. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of post-secondary education.

Please contact us to add a listing.