PARKLAND, Fla., (Friday, February 23, 2018) - The Marjory Stoneman Douglas family assistance center that opened on Saturday, Feb. 17 will close at 7 pm tonight, Friday, Feb. 23, according to Broward County Public School officials. It will reopen Saturday, Feb. 24 at noon with a new name -- the Broward County Resiliency Center -- and it will continue to operate in its current location at the Parkland Recreation and Enrichment Center, 10559 Trails End in Parkland, Fla.

Starting Saturday, it will serve as the resource and referral center for victims, families of victims and all those affected by the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14. "The initial focus of the Family Assistance Center was to provide immediate services to students, faculty/staff and families of Marjory Stoneman Douglas," said Ryan Logan of the American Red Cross. "Now we are transitioning to a more permanent service model to help people connect with services they may need over time to help them build resilience in the aftermath of this incident."

Anyone interested in accessing services should call 211 for more information. Services provided at the Broward County Resiliency Center will include victim advocacy and support, counseling and spiritual care referrals, and technical assistance in accessing online resources. Operational hours will be 12 to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday, and 12 to 7pm, Monday through Friday. 

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/southflorida or visit us on Twitter at @SFLRedCross. 

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