Jasmine Figueroa is no stranger to being engaged in her local community but now she is extending her reach into all the cities and towns in the Family Crisis Center (FCC) service area.
Figueroa is the new community-engagement/social-media advocate at the FCC where she focuses on helping the non-profit agency grow its outreach in the 10 counties it serves.
Her community-service background includes participation in areas such as youth advocacy and substance-misuse prevention, as well as serving in leadership roles that allowed her to work with youth, local organizations and prevention coalitions.
“Now at the FCC, I manage our social-media platforms, create content that connects with different audiences and coordinate outreach across all 10 counties,” Figueroa said. “One main goal is to help the FCC build a stronger presence in our smaller, rural communities.
“We want to ensure that people throughout this area know who we are, what we do and how we can support them.”
In the community-engagement aspect of her new position, Figueroa seeks “to build genuine relationships and find ways to get involved beyond our own walls. We can do this by visiting with local organizations and businesses, and finding opportunities to collaborate on events, campaigns and other initiatives.
“Since every community is different, it is important that our outreach reflects the people who live there.”
Social media is equally important because it can connect the FCC to a wide variety of age groups and backgrounds. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” Figueroa commented. “Social media give us opportunities to share information about our resources with people who may not know where to turn. I want to ensure this information is available to everyone.
“At the end of the day, people can use only the resources they know about. I want to help make those connections more accessible.”
In the short-term, Figueroa is learning about current FCC partnerships, and becoming acquainted with local and area organizations to identify opportunities to build new relationships.
Long-term goals are to revamp the FCC website, increase engagement on social-media platforms and become more recognizable in rural communities.
More background
A “huge” part of Figueroa’s background involved participation in Barton County Youth Crew where she developed a passion for engagement and advocacy.
“I have seen how much of a difference it makes when people are given a voice and organizations work together toward a common goal,” she explained. “We developed campaigns and built partnerships, while engaging young people with local issues and activities.
“Youth Crew experiences helped me understand how important it is to communicate in ways that resonate with different audiences.”
Figueroa has been involved in her community since middle school. “This has always been a big part of who I am. I love seeing what can happen when people come together to make a difference. This FCC position is a natural fit because it brings together so many things I am passionate about.
“I have an opportunity to help tell the FCC’s story, highlight its impact and find new ways to connect more people with our mission and services.”
Figueroa is a 2025 graduate of Great Bend High School and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with an emphasis in management, at Pittsburg State University.
Kylee Graves, FCC executive director, noted that “for several years, I have recognized the need to strengthen our agency’s social-media presence, outreach and community engagement. When we began looking for someone to fill this position, I had a general idea of what we needed but wasn’t quite sure what that person would look like until I met Jasmine.
“Her knowledge, creativity, enthusiasm and drive are truly impressive, especially at such a young age. In just three short weeks, she has already exceeded my expectations and brought forward ideas and opportunities I hadn’t even imagined. The connections she has built, her fresh perspective and her passion for finding new ways to grow and improve our agency make her an incredible addition to our team.
“I am so excited to see all that Jasmine will accomplish and the positive impact she will have on our agency and the communities we serve. I have no doubt she will bring tremendous growth and new opportunities to the Family Crisis Center.”
The FCC, 1924 Broadway, serves survivors and families in Barton, Barber, Comanche, Edwards, Kiowa, Ness, Pawnee, Pratt, Rush and Stafford counties.
For more information, call 620-793-9941; the 24-hour crisis hotline is 866-792-1885.
Anyone interested in community partnerships, collaborations or outreach opportunities is encouraged to email Figueroa at jasminef@familycrisiscntr.org.
