The Link
Family Support Services
We foster a safe, healthy, and thriving community by linking children, youth, and families with programs and services to address their unique needs.

Atascadero
Templeton
Creston
Carrizo Plains
Santa Margarita
Cayucos,
Cambria,
San Simeon
Morro Bay
Baywood
Los Osos
Paso Robles
San Miguel
Shandon
Arroyo Grande
Oceano, Nipomo
Grover Beach
Pismo Beach
Link staff, known as Family Advocates, provides services to families that include:
- Support accessing food, housing, clothing, health care, and parent education
- Assistance navigating the social services system for mental health services, disability benefits, drug and alcohol recovery, adoption and guardianship support and family reunification
- Advocacy for students and their families by coordinating with teachers, school counselors, and principals to support academic success
- Linkages to community partners for domestic violence services, homeless services, transportation, employment resources and much more.
North County Family Advocates
Bessy Hoffman
Bilingual Family Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 712-5038
Primary Service Areas: Atascadero, Templeton, Creston, Carrizo Plains, Santa Margarita
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Bessy Hoffman has worked in the education industry for over twenty-seven years. Starting in Los Angeles and later moving to Atascadero, she has specialized in bilingual and special education in both school districts. Bessy has received the Golden Oak award, which is the PTA’s highest honor for excellence in working with and providing for the welfare of children in our local community.
Bessy’s constant drive for the welfare and success of all the families that she works with also led to her being named Santa Rosa Academic Academy’s Employee of the Year in 2013. With her exceptional experience in community resources and social services, Bessy constantly strives to provide a secure future for all local and bilingual families. Bessy is also a Parent Educator and Coach and supports parents and caregivers across the Central Coast.
Isabel (Cris) Castañeda
Bilingual Family Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 503–9409
Primary Service Areas: Paso Robles
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Maria Shira
Bilingual Family Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 503–9724
Primary Service Areas: Templeton
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Sonia Greene
Bilingual Family Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 647-3827
Primary Service Areas: Atascadero, Templeton, Creston, Carrizo Plains and Santa Margarita
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Sonia Greene has been at The Link Family Resource Center for over ten years and has had extensive experience working with sexual abuse and domestic violence victims. She is a certified First Aid mental health professional and utilizes her passion to help people in her duties as a family advocate. Sonia is fluent in both Spanish and English and has previously worked for the Atascadero Unified School District as a classroom translator.
Elena Chavez
First 5 Early Childhood Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 712-6487
Primary Service Areas: Paso Robles, San Miguel, Shandon
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Elena Chavez serves pregnant women and children up to 5 years of age at The Link Family Resource Center in Atascadero and Paso Robles along with The Childcare Development Resource Center in San Luis Obispo.
Carmen Del Real
Bilingual Family Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 503-9638
Primary Service Areas: Paso Robles, Shandon
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Coastal & SLO Family Advocates
Hector Santos
Bilingual Family Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 235-6610
Primary Service Areas: Morro Bay, Los Osos,Baywood
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Brenda Gonzalez
Bilingual Family Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 503-9983
Primary Service Areas: San Luis Obispo, Avila Beach
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Danilda Reyes
Bilingual Family Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 647-9505
Primary Service Areas: Cayucos, Cambria, San Simeon
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Danilda Reyes serves as a Family Advocate for The Coast Unified School District in Cambria. She has experience working with children and youth in behavioral programs and in one on one classroom settings. She was a Teacher at The Dominican Republic with experience in Kindergarten students, Elementary and Middle School Students. Danilda is bilingual in English and Spanish.
South County Family Advocates
Erica Andrade
Family Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 952-3695
Primary Service Areas: Nipomo, Arroyo Grande, Oceano, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach
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Erica Andrade joined The Link Family Resource Center in 2019 as a Family Advocate. She works at Judkins and Mesa Middle School helping parents of Middle School students connect with resources such parent education, housing assistance, and basic needs such as food and utility bills.
Cameron Pedretti
Family Advocate
Contact: Cell phone (805) 503-9573
Primary Service Areas: Arroyo Grande
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Family Advocate Support Team
Tonya DeRose
North County SAFE Coordinator
Contact: Cell phone (805) 952-4503
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Tonya DeRose joined The Link Family Resource Center in 2016 and has her associate’s degree in human services. A parent and active member of the North San Luis Obispo County community Tonya fosters relationships that build bridges between families and resources. As the Coordinator of SAFE in North County Tonya brings together diverse teams to support children and families when they’re most vulnerable. Tonya works in close collaboration with school staff to support student success through building protective factors, linking to parent education, and referring to partner agencies.
Carrie Collins
Family Advocate Services Director
Contact: (805) 794-0217
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Carrie Collins serves as the Family Advocate Services Director for the Link Family Resource Center. For the past 8 years, Carrie was a Training and Consulting Specialist with Strategies 2.0 at Children’s Bureau. She provided training and consultation throughout the state to assist organizations and individuals in their work with family strengthening and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Carrie received her Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from Ashford University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. Her background includes over 20 years in the Head Start and Migrant Head Start program in Parent Involvement and Leadership, and Staff Career Development and Training. She served two years in AmeriCorps providing pesticide safety training to farm workers throughout the state of Utah. Carrie and her husband share the joy of being parents to 4 grown children, and grandparents to 3 grandsons, with a new grandbaby on the way!
Referral Forms
Link Staff Chart
Visit this chart to find the family advocate who serves your school/region of SLO County

Family Advocate Referral Form
Please fax or email Family Advocate referrals to: (805) 462-8901 or Carrie@linkslo.org
SAFE Referral Form
Please note that for SAFE referrals, the client must initial for each agency authorized to exchange information (page 3) and sign and date the last page (page 4).
Please fax or email all SAFE referrals to:
Tonya DeRose, North County SAFE Program Coordinator
(805) 462-8901 or TonyaDeRose@linkslo.org
Form 815 (English)
County of San Luis Obispo Multi-Agency Referral and Client Release of Information
Form 815 (Spanish)
County of San Luis Obispo Multi-Agency Referral and Client Release of Information
Nurse Home Visiting Referral
Submit referral to: Field Nursing Program
(805) 781-1372 (fax)
(805) 788-2068 (phone)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I refer a family to The Link?
Please download and complete The Link Advocate Referral Form
Submit the completed form to Family Advocate Services Director Carrie Collins at Carrie@linkslo.org or fax to (805) 462-8901
Where is The Link Family Resource Center located?
Please visit us at one of our two North County Family Resource Centers.
Atascadero Family Resource Center
4507 Del Rio Ave. Building #1 Atascadero, CA 93422
Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm (805) 794-0217
Paso Robles Family Resource Center
1802 Chestnut Street Paso Robles, CA 93446 (805) 794-0217
What is The Link Family Resource Center mission?
Our Mission
We foster a safe, healthy, and thriving community by linking children, youth, and families with programs and services to address their unique needs.
Our Vision
We envision a thriving community where children, youth, and families have the power and resources to live healthy, safe, and productive lives.
Our Values
The Link values strengths-based, empowerment-focused, community-driven collaboration, developed through mutual respect, compassion, and integrity.
Is The Link a nonprofit organization?
The Link received 501(c)(3) status in the spring of 2004. Since then, the organization has expanded from a small project of the Atascadero Youth Task Force into a thriving system of Family Resource Centers, family advocates, and community resource specialists upon which the community has come to deeply rely.
The Link was created in 1998 as a project of the Atascadero Youth Task Force; developed in order to identify available services, assist youth and families to connect with needed services, and to create services to support families. Since then, The Link has expanded from its original office location in Atascadero to two Family Resource Centers with service outreach spanning across the North SLO County towns of Atascadero, Cambria, Shandon, San Miguel, Creston, Cayucos, Santa Margarita, San Simeon, Paso Robles, Los Osos, Morro Bay, and Templeton, encompassing a community of approximately 103,000 residents. We additionally serve the South San Luis Obispo towns of Pismo Beach and Arroyo Grande. Today, we are a community leader in child welfare and education services and aim to keep families united while engaging in child abuse prevention.
Contact
Please fill out the form below. We look forward to connecting with you!
Location: Del Rio Continuation High School
Address: 4507 Del Rio Ave Bldg. #1, Atascadero, CA 93422
Hours: Open: 9:00AM to 5:00PM M-F
Office Phone: (805) 466-5404
Bilingual Family Advocate Services Director: (805) 794-0217
Atascadero Family Resource Center The LINK
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Administrative Staff
Lisa Fraser
Executive Director
Contact: Office (805) 466-5404
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Since 2001, Lisa Fraser has distinguished herself through her vision to create and grow nine major programs, each designed to strengthen families and stop the cycle of child abuse. She serves as Board President of Alpha Pregnancy and Parenting Support and is a preeminent leader in SLO County’s human service field. Lisa played an integral role in the establishment of Martha’s Place, an assessment center for at-risk children.
While her legacy has had a tremendous impact on our SLO County community, Lisa’s talents and her commitment to families are recognized on a regional and state level. She provided coordination for the Coastal Tri-Counties Child Abuse Prevention Coalition, established the Regional Child Death Review Team for Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties and served on the California State Child Death Review Council. Lisa also participated in developing the California Family Support Standards, part of an ongoing initiative to define and promote quality in the field of family strengthening.
Lisa earned a B.S. Degree and a Single-Subject Teaching Credential at Cal Poly. She has also earned professional certifications including California Standards for Family Strengthening and Support certification, California Mandated Reporter of Suspected Child Abuse certification, non-Profit Development Officer Program certification, and a certificate in Facilitative Leadership-Interaction Institute for Social Change.
Lisa loves the “community spirit” of the Central Coast where she and Larry, her husband of 31 years, have raised two children, Brooke, and Dylan. She is an avid tennis player and active in social organizations and the arts.
Heather Leger
Program Data Specialist
Contact: Office (805) 466-5404
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Heather Leger is the Program Data Specialist for the Link Family Resource Center. She graduated from Cal Poly with a B.S. in Business Management, and has experience working in higher education administration.
Karolyn Kinsey
Fiscal Manager
Contact: Office (805) 466-5404
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Board of Directors
Our Directors support The Link’s program excellence and fiscal integrity.
Current Board List:
President: Kathy Hannemann, Retired School Administrator, AUSD
Treasurer: Pres Meyers, Retired Administrator
Secretary: Bob Pittenger, Community Member
Debbie Arnold, 5th District Supervisor, SLO County
Robin Kirby, School Counselor, SLO County Office of Education
Jessica Lloyd, Principal, Atascadero Middle School, AUSD
Christina Latner, Public Policy Specialist, Cal Poly University
Connor Allen, Sports editor, Atascadero News
Jeff Wilshsusen, City of Atascadero Police Department
Board of Directors meetings take place virtually on the 4th Tuesday of the month from 4 – 5:30pm. For more information please call 805-466-5404.