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For 100 years Family Services of Greater Waterbury has brought strength and hope to tens of thousands of children and families who have faced life's struggles and have overcome them. Here are some examples of the work that we do every day:
- 5-year-old Mary who came to our safe home, the Chapman House. She was suffering from abuse and neglect, but left healed and looking forward to the next chapter of her life.
- Terry and Pat who were near divorce until they came to us for counseling. Now their marriage and their children are thriving.
- Juan, who was frustrated that he could not find work until he came to our Jobs First Employment Services program. Now he is overjoyed that he has a skill and can provide for his family.
Family Services helps to change lives - one family at a time. We are helping to rebuild families, the societal foundation of the communities we serve. And we are very good at it, too! 90% of our counseling clients, when asked, have told us that their lives have been improved because of our work with them.
In 2008, the Family Services of Greater Waterbury board, staff and various community stakeholders came together to develop an aggressive three-year strategic plan with the overarching goal to provide meaningful programs and services that impact the communities we serve. When fully implemented, this plan will build the agency's awareness in the community, bring financial stability to the organization, enhance its infrastructure and open the agency to new programs.
Our Centennial Celebration will launch the implementation of our strategic plan. We envision expanding our scope of services and our facilities. Families need educational childcare (from birth to two years old), neighborhood centers, senior programs, latch key programs, educational mentoring, English as a Second Language (ESL), job training programs, and more. Family Services of Greater Waterbury wants to help meet these needs. The Centennial Celebration will invite the community to join Family Services of Greater Waterbury in commemorating the past while helping to build the future.
People of all economic and demographic strata are hurting and Family Services of Greater Waterbury stands ready to help. We envision a healthy community where all families, children and individuals are valued and can develop their unique strengths and achieve their full potential.
 Family Services of Greater Waterbury began in 1909 as The Associated Charities of Waterbury and provided communications among the various agencies and individuals serving the needy families in Waterbury to prevent duplication of efforts and expenses in meeting their needs. The association included the Red Cross, Children's Home, Placement of Dependent Children, Chase Dispensary, and Visiting Housekeepers.
In 1916, the Lincoln House was built on Field Street to provide office space for the association and other private social service and health care organizations. In 1921, our name was changed to the Lincoln House Association. Over the next 26 years, services were expanded to provide assistance and support to the ever-increasing numbers of needy families during the Depression, World War II and the post-war years.
In 1947, the association's name was changed to the Family Service Association of Waterbury and its mission was directed toward helping people with emotional difficulties, using a casework approach. Over the next decade, in response to changing community needs, the services of homemakers and home health aides were added.
 To accommodate the newly formed therapeutic child center, which was developed in 1976 with the collaboration of the Junior League of Greater Waterbury, the agency moved to its present headquarters location at 34 Murray Street. The TCC was the first program in Connecticut to provide a specialized day care program for at risk children, with outreach services for their families.
In the 1980's, the community's need for treatment services for clients with drug abuse and domestic violence problems became apparent. FSGW responded to this important need and became licensed as an out-patient psychiatric clinic. During this decade the Naugatuck office was opened to accommodate the needs of Naugatuck and lower Naugatuck Valley clients.
During the 1990's, the increasing number of children needing the specialized care of the therapeutic child center required the agency to expand the Murray Street facility. This expansion also provided space for the supervised visitation center, where abused/neglected children could meet with their parent(s) under the supervision of an agency counselor. In 1994, FSGW established the parent education program, helping parents and/or foster parents to better understand and meet the needs of children living in their homes.
 The displaced homemaker program was also adopted and the employment success program was established to provide assistance, direction and support to those people preparing for, obtaining, and keeping paying jobs. This program was located at 100 Grand Street.
Realizing the needs of at-risk children and families living in the Greater Waterbury area, FSGW began providing services to children and families in the Waterbury suburbs.
At the end of 1999, the case management employment support program became an agency responsibility. This program is located in the Department of Labor Offices on Thomaston Avenue. In 2003, the program was reorganized and now covers 43 towns in the Northwest region of Connecticut, with offices in Danbury, Torrington, and Waterbury. It is now called the jobs first employment services program.
The Chapman House was opened in December 2000 as a safe home (emergency sanctuary) for abused and neglected children who have been removed from their homes. Chapman House is licensed for up to eight children ranging in age from 3 to 12. The placement in a safe home is designed to be short-term in order to give the Department of Children and Families enough time to thoroughly investigate each case. Workers will examine and evaluate each child's and parent(s)' special needs and home, to determine the seriousness of the diagnosed problems. If it is deemed necessary, the department will find a long term placement for the child if he/she cannot be  returned to their own homes.
During 2008, Family Services of Greater Waterbury developed an aggressive three-year strategic plan that, when fully implemented, will build the agency's awareness in the community, bring financial stability to the organization, enhance its infrastructure and open the agency to new programs.
Throughout its century of service, hundreds of friends have given to ensure the agency's financial health, for which we are deeply grateful. As we look toward the future and the increasing need for our services, the continued financial partnership of our friends is important. You can help make a difference in the lives of those we serve through your giving. Online donations can be made at our website: www.familyservicesgw.org. |
