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Tulsa's Family & Children's Services Supporters Celebrate 80th Anniversary

Posted on: Wednesday, 15 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By Danna Sue Walker, Tulsa World, Okla.

Mar. 15--"You are Family & Children's Services' sustaining force. You are what make this all possible. You are our greatest resource," Gail Lapidus told supporters attending the organization's 80th anniversary breakfast celebration. "I look out at this incredible audience and see our past, present and future. And each of you is here today because of your belief in the power of service," said Lapidus, executive director of Family & Children's Services. She detailed the many incarnations of the organization, started by a group of people concerned about the welfare of children and families in this community and who thought that a nonprofit could bring about powerful forces of hope, possibility and change. "We repair and save life -- we are a center of healing, hope, renewal, information and transformation," she said. Karen Keith, representing Mayor Bill LaFortune's office, was the event emcee. Special guests Special guests included many of the agency's past board presidents, including Jean Tate, Fred Dorwart, Erma Henson, Betty Swindle, Elise Brennan, Gary Betow, Mark Lewellen and Mike Bartel. Other guests were Florence Beeman, longtime staff member of Family & Children's Services; Rand Baker, deputy commissioner for Mental Health Services, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; Felicia Collins-Correia, executive director of DVIS; Mike Brose, executive director of the Mental Health Association of Tulsa; Linda Johnston, director of Social Services for Tulsa County; John and Sarah Graves; David and Suzan Wadley; and Sandra Lewis, executive director of the Day Center for the Homeless. Also on the program were Nancy Feldman, a current board member who has been on and off the board for 46 years, and board president Diann Bishop. Awards Board excellence awards went to Steve Pattison of Bank of Oklahoma and Tom Kivisto of SemGroup. Also recognized for continued generous support of the agency were the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Tulsa Community Foundation and Bank of Oklahoma Foundation who made generous donations to three agency programs in 2005. Mike Bartel, immediate past president of the F&CS board, presented the agency's volunteer of the year award to Courtney Blanchard. Board members Mark Lewellen and Carey Cole presented awards to the agency's community partners, including the Tulsa World for its support of F&CS over the years. Kathleen Coan, CEO of the Tulsa Area United Way, received the Shining Star award, honoring the partnership between F&CS and the Tulsa Area United Way. Also honored at the event were four families named Hilti Families of the Year. Glenda Stoner, representing Hilti, was also in attendance. New logo To honor its 80th anniversary, the agency has a new logo featuring a butterfly in flight and the phrase, "Life Changing." History What began as the Family Welfare Society of Tulsa has had several names, including United Relief & Service Association, which in 1944 merged with Children's Service Bureau to become Tulsa Family & Children's Services, and expanded its mission to include serving neglected and disadvantaged children. In 1952, the agency was granted full membership in the Family Service Association of America and shifted the bulk of its work to family counseling and adoption placements. Over the years, the agency partnered with many organizations in Tulsa to provide needed services, and in some instances programs that the agency offered became separate nonprofit organizations. In 1973, the agency assumed the One-to-One Volunteer Service, which later became Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Tulsa. It spun off in 1983 to become an independent organization. In the 1990s, Family & Children's Services created the first Helping Children Cope With Divorce program in Oklahoma. This model education program for divorcing parents is now court-mandated in nine Oklahoma counties. In 1998, the agency began a partnership with the Community Action Project of Tulsa County to provide social services for Head Start and Early Head Start families. This innovative collaboration has been recognized as the first of its kind in the United States. In 2000, Family & Children's Services initiated a capital campaign to raise funds for a new central office facility, technology and to establish an endowment. The campaign was successful and within one year $7.5 million was raised. In November 2002, the agency moved into its new 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art central office featuring a child- and family-friendly architectural design at 650 S. Peoria Ave. In the new century, Family & Children's Services has been awarded many prestigious federal research grants including those for a jail diversion program and one to improve the care and treatment of traumatized children. The agency's size has tripled since 2000 -- from 120 employees and a $6.5 million budget, to 400 employees and a $22 million budget in 2006.

New programs The agency has created F&CS Mental Health Care Inc. to provide outpatient mental health services for indigent mentally ill adults formerly served by Parkside. It also provides mental health services in north Tulsa county to clients previously served by Grand Lake Mental Health Center, which makes the agency the largest provider of publicly funded mental health services in Tulsa county, serving about 75 percent of the indigent population with mental health needs. It provides counseling services, parenting education, child abuse prevention and treatment, literacy programs, marriage and family strengthening programs, early childhood services, community and school-based services, and mental health services for adults and children. ------------ Danna Sue Walker 581-8342 dannasue.walker@tulsaworld.com

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Copyright (c) 2006, Tulsa World, Okla.

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Source: Tulsa World

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