Why should “wealthy” communities like Glenview, Kenilworth, Northbrook and Wilmette support the nonprofit Family Service Center?
Jane McCarthy, executive director of the Family Service Center – Glenview, Kenilworth, Northbrook and Wilmette (FSC-GKNW), is asked this question all the time.
The answer: Not every family on the North Shore is wealthy. And no family is perfect. To the contrary, every family faces difficult issues at some time, and many of them can’t afford expensive counseling, even in these affluent towns. Therefore, FSC-GKNW is always there to help.
“We don’t turn anyone away, and we have no waiting list,” McCarthy explains over breakfast on a wintry morning. “Of our clients, 96 percent get some kind of subsidized care.”
Strong families, strong communities
Flashing her passion for her work, McCarthy says, “Our communities have great schools, libraries, emergency services. FSC-GKNW needs to be just as much a part of the community fabric too.”
“Families are the building blocks of their home towns,” McCarthy says. She believes that when neighbors have a crisis, you want them to find great support. The families who come to FSC-GKNW are your hometown neighbors. Keep local families strong, and you keep your community strong.
Building on 100 years of success
FSC-GKNW is celebrating 100 successful years of service. But it’s not resting on its laurels. Instead, the innovative nonprofit is growing collaborations with other Family Service Centers and nonprofit organizations to broaden support for a growing number of difficult issues that families face. Autism outreach and opportunities for disabled adults are two of those initiatives.
Also, as part of its centennial celebration, the FSC-GKNW hopes to secure a stronger financial future with more local families committing to long-term leadership grants—in other words, families committing to help future families in their neighborhoods.
Make It Better is proud to be the media sponsor of FSC-GKNW’s 100th Anniversary Gala, on Saturday, March 2, where they will be presenting two honorees, Bill Attea and Erika’s Lighthouse, with their Heart of the Family Award for “their outstanding contribution to the well-being of families in our community.” For more information, or to purchase tickets, please visit their website.
Photo: Bill Attea, along with Board Member Becky and Bob McLennan
