Building Families Campaign

Just as families go through phases and growth cycles, so has Family Centre Society of Southwestern Alberta (Family Centre).  Over the past 14 years, it has been like a teenager experiencing unbelievable growth. From small beginnings it operated out of a 57-year-old historical courthouse with 9 employees, 8 offices, one playroom and 9 programs.

It still operates out of the same facility but now has 22 employees, 10 offices, 2 playrooms and 34 programs. The success and demand for Family Centre programs, counselling and support has grown dramatically, although with success comes growing pains. For example, in the past five years, participants in Family Centre programs have increased by 55%, with the majority of programs having to turn away participants due to limited availability for program space. Band-Aid approaches have been used to address these growing pains, but now, long-term solutions must be found. Family Centre has simply outgrown this facility.

The vision of a “Co-location” model:
With Family Centre in its 14^th year, its volunteer board of directors has developed a strategic plan for addressing the increased demands for family programs from Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta residents. Although the facility that Family Centre operates out of has character, it is beginning to show its age. The infrastructure is beginning to require financial attention with water pipes breaking and more demand being placed on electrical systems. The facility is also not user-friendly for parents with small children. Its access for those with disabilities is awkward and parking is limited with most parents having to park several blocks away, struggling to walk with small children and buggies across busy streets. Parents must enter the facility by stairs which is awkward if they have small toddlers, a car seat and/or a stroller. Besides access problems, playrooms have to be re-arranged daily to accommodate program activities and participants. Five Early Childhood Educators, are now working out of an office that was previously built as a one-person office. We have added an office “in a hallway”.

Over the past five years, Family Centre has been a leading participant with other agencies in servicing children and families and in formalizing a vision for a “co-location” for family support. Family Centre and these agencies have identified that an exceptional model of service delivery would be to have all these agencies within the same location. With Family Centre outgrowing its current facility, it has taken the lead in spearheading this co-location model and secured a facility that would adequately house all Family Centre programs as well as providing easy and comfortable access for families. The selected facility and surrounding infrastructure is large enough to accommodate other agencies moving to the “co-location”.

This selected location is in the centre of the city, close to transportation, a homeless shelter, grocery stores, essential shopping and food banks. There has also been initial analysis that the location could also accommodate low-cost housing facilities. The location is the former Brick building on 2^nd Avenue and Stafford Drive in north Lethbridge. Family Centre’s move would be Phase One in the overall plan.

The strategic plan that Family Centre’s Board began developing three years ago was to save funds for a future home. Through savings and fundraising, $196,758 has been raised. Annual operating expenses will increase from $45,000 for the current facility to $175,000 for the new facility and Family Centre is ecstatic to announce that this amount has been secured through current income sources. All that is left is to renovate the facility to match Family Centre’s program needs, to create space for additional programming to allow for more participants, and to renovate to create counselling space that will ensure privacy.

It is time for Family Centre to move forward and therefore it has embarked on a fundraising campaign, “Building Families… one square foot at a time”. This campaign is to secure and renovate the facility, and will be Phase One of the “co-location” plan. Donors are invited to purchase “square feet” of the new facility at $100 per square foot. The “square foot” concept was created to ensure that all those who believed in family support and programs could be part of this exciting growth phase in Family Centre’s life. It could be a single parent on a limited income, who can only donate $100 for one square foot, or it could be a business or individual who is seeking long-term recognition and room naming opportunities, or it could be anywhere in the middle. There are seven “naming” opportunities as well as “plaqued” recognition levels all based on square feet.

The campaign’s goal is $1.45 million and will take Family Centre from a 3,100-square-foot facility to a 9,567-square-foot facility. It will ensure that the programming and support offered by Family Centre will be available far into the future. It will also begin the vision of creating a co-location model to serve families and children.

Case for Support | We're squished pictures | Conceptual Drawings
 2008/09 Financial Statements