OGDEN — A nonprofit agency that helps parents and kids, aiming to prevent child abuse, has a new play area for the children it serves.

The Family Support Center of Ogden opened the outdoor play area at its 3340 S. Harrison Blvd. facility in June and now the organization is seeking help to shade the space so it can more feasibly be used during the heat of summer.

“Sometimes we have kiddos who could really use some outside time,” said Janeen Jennings, the Family Support Center executive director. “They’re able to go out and get sunshine and run and play.”

Before the addition, the only play space at the Family Support Center was inside the facility. The agency serves some 450 kids a year in its play area.

Family Support Center offers parenting classes, and the play area, called the Kids Zone, serves kids while their moms and dads are attending programming. The play area also serves parents who need a break from child care for a job interview, say, or because they are stressed — “crisis nursery care,” as the agency dubs it.

The play space cost $40,000 to develop, with $3,500 of that coming from a Rocky Mountain Power grant. Measuring about 50 feet by 100 feet, it contains a swing set, soccer balls and nets. Addition of an apparatus to shade the space is the next goal and the organization welcomes help. Go to familysupportcenterogden.org for contact info.

Katie Johnson is a Family Support Center client and she and her daughters love the new outdoor play area.

“When they came before and had just the inside play area, they still enjoyed coming, but were not able to get all of their energy out,” Johnson said. With the outdoor area, “they are able to be active and get out all that energy and then come inside and enjoy the more calm and relaxing side of the Family Support Center also.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the grant amount from Rocky Mountain Power.

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