Without support, without assistance, and with all the challenges of raising kids in today’s environment, some of these vulnerable families will fail. They will travel down a destructive path, a path of child abuse and/or neglect and mental illness. Their children will develop crippling behavioral and emotional problems. When they grow up they can become abusers themselves, perpetuating the problem for generations.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
There is a constructive path that starts with prevention, providing needed support to vulnerable families, includes community-based intervention when children and adults experience problems and offers out of home placement options for youth who have experienced significant trauma and must be provided a safer place to live.
Two paths, and the choice is ours.
Either we help children and families become constructive contributors, or we pay as they become a destructive burden. The good news is that the constructive path not only builds up our families and communities, it also costs less. Family & Children’s Center helps children and youth in our care learn coping skills for life. The success they experience carries into adulthood—thereby increasing their potential to be contributing citizens.
As the largest, private provider of human services in western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota, Family & Children’s Center has a broad network of integrated prevention, intervention and out of home care services that helps families get on the constructive path and stay there. Our service locations form that network and ensure needed care is available right in our own communities.
Continuous Funding Issues
The issue is, in the past, our communities could rely on a combination of private agency programming and government support. Unfortunately, government budgets do not fund prevention services, even when it has been proven to save lives and taxpayer dollars. Further, the shrinking level of government support is insufficient to fund capital for the facilities needed to provide both community-based intervention services and out of home care options. For these reasons, we must come to the community to continue to meet growing needs.
Better Tomorrows
Clearly, building better tomorrows for children and families is a noble cause–but it is also a financially sound one and without question, good for the people we serve and our society. Through individual and community partnerships, the center can ensure at-risk children, adults and families receive the programs and services that will enable them to build happy, hopeful lives.
Meet the Development Team
Ellen Hongerholt, MA
Director of Advancement & Marketing
Ellen Hongerholt, M.A., has joined Family & Children’s Center as the Director of Advancement & Marketing. She has more than 30 years to the field of financial development/fundraising and public relations, primarily in the area of capital campaign consulting/management for non-profits and municipalities. Over the past 25 years she has completed 42 capital campaigns in the tri-state region, successfully assisting cities and organizations in raising approximately $70M through her business Crescendo Fundraising Professionals, LLC.
Ellen gained her master’s degree in Philanthropy and Development from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and has her undergraduate degree in Mass Communications with a public relations emphasis and sociology minor from Winona State University.
She states her goal is to assist current and new donors’ in advancing the vital mission of Family & Children’s Center throughout western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota.
Katrina Scoville, MA
Donor Engagement & Events Specialist
Katrina has over 15 years of experience working in the world of fundraising and received her Masters of Philanthropy and Development from Saint Mary’s University. Her goal is to help donors, volunteers, and friends feel connected with the important work at FCC.
Please reach out to Katrina with questions or ideas: kscoville@fccnetwork.org or (507) 313-0373.
Greg White
Development & Marketing Specialist
Greg joined the agency in May of 2022 and works a multitude of functions in marketing communications, including events, publications, and social media for Family & Children’s Center’s programs. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Winona State University and has more than fifteen years of experience in communication.
(608) 785-0001 ext. 2202 | gwhite@fccnetwork.org