As a former staff member of the Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley, I can attest to the integrity of the people at the heart of this organization--staff members, board members, volunteers, and donors. I've worked in a number of non-profits in various regions of the US, and as a group, the folks behind FRCSCV are the most committed, ethical, and competent non-profit team I've ever encountered. Perhaps most importantly, they take philanthropic support seriously, very seriously. They make the most of every dollar donated. They also prioritize programs that make the most impact, and they evaluate and make appropriate changes to their work based on the highest standards. As people, members of the FRCSCV team are sincerely motivated by concern for their community, and they believe in and prioritize the absolute importance of family as the foundation for healthy communities and a healthy society at large. Finally, I think it's very special that FRCSCV's staff, board, volunteers, and donors are all members of the local, Western Wisconsin communities that the organization serves; they understand that the people FRCSCV helps are their neighbors and friends. This only adds to their motivation to do good work.
More important than the people who run and fund FRCSCV, of course, are the children, families, and parents who are helped by the organization. In my time as an employee, I had the opportunity to meet with dozens of Western Wisconsin parents who told me their personal stories of how FRCSCV programs helped them and their children. I will never forget one of the teen parents I met. She told me that a positive discipline class at FRCSCV helped her realize that she had a choice to parent without being abusive, as her father had been to her. I also remember meeting with a first-time mom whose own mother had passed away when she was young. Since her mother was no longer with her, this new mother doubted she knew the right way to be a mom. But she worked with an FRCSCV parent educator through home visits and classes, and that process helped her feel more prepared and empowered as a parent. She told me she was relieved when she finally realized that she really could do it, after all--she could learn to be a great mom.
Working at the FRCSCV was all the more rewarding because I knew our organization was making such an important difference for parents and families like the ones I had the opportunity to meet. But I also knew, and continue to know, that the stories I heard are just the tip of the iceberg! That's why I will always be a donor of the Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley, and the organization will always have my greatest respect. They are making a real difference for local children and parents and families. What could be more important?
The Family Resource Center fills a huge void in Western Wisconsin, where early childhood education programs are otherwise difficult for families to access. In particular, families who move to this area from the Twin Cities are shocked to learn that Wisconsin does not provide an equivalent Minnesota's ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) program, and were it not for the Family Resource Center, I wouldn't know where to refer them! My experience as a volunteer on the board of directors has provided me with a thorough exposure to the programs, operations an staff of the Family Resource Center, and I assure you that they run a great evidence-based program on a very limited budget. When you give to the Family Resource Center, you know that your dollars are being used well and impacting children and families throughout the region. Thank you for considering a contribution!
The Family Resource Center is an organization dedicated to the development of children. They do a great job working with and teaching parents how to raise happy and healthy kids. This is one of the organizations that works in the "trenches" with your contributions. They travel directly to the homes and hospitals to meet new families, teen parents, and kids up to age 6. There is no "fluff" here, all of your contributions support the mission.