Family Service of Central Indiana, Inc
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| Family Service of Central Indiana Celebrates 175th Anniversary |
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INDIANPOLIS – Family Service of Central Indiana, the area’s oldest not-for-profit social service agency, continued its year-long 175th Anniversary celebration with an awards ceremony and breakfast held at the Columbia Club on April 28, 2010 at 8:30 a.m. The festivities featured an awards ceremony to honor families with a long history of service to the agency, historical displays, and success stories from the 175 year history of the agency. “175 years into our mission, Family Service remains an important part of Central Indiana, and a place of comfort and support for more than 8,000 individuals a year,” said Travis Perkins, Director of Communications for Family Service. “This celebration presents us with the opportunity both to remember our past and to look forward to a new vision of serving future generations and expand the wide range of services and programs we provide to our local communities.” Family Service was founded as The Indianapolis Benevolent Society on Thanksgiving Day in 1835 by a group of local families that wanted to provide relief for the needy. Known for their group of “Friendly Visitors”, they administered aid by dividing the city into districts. In each district, a man and a woman went from home to home to learn about residents' needs and to collect clothing, wood, and money for deposit in a central location that could be drawn on as needed. For the first 40 years, the organization was completely run by volunteers with all services provided by unpaid staff. Some of the agency highlights shared during the event included: • Researched and cited nationally as a pioneer of the early 1800s philanthropic movement in the United States, and Family Service exists as the oldest not-for-profit social service agency in Indianapolis • Believed to be the first organization in the country founded to provide assistance on a community-wide basis regardless of race or creed. • Recognized for a series of lectures given in 1890 which represented one of the first examples of formal education for social workers in the United States. • Many of today’s local charitable organizations, including Flanner House, the Children’s Bureau, and Legal Aid Society can trace their lineage back to members and programs of the Indianapolis Benevolent Society. Photos from the event are available at www.facebook.com/familyservice About Family Service: Family Service of Central Indiana, Inc. is a private not-for-profit organization working to preserve and strengthen families in times of crisis, change and growth. The agency provides counseling, support and education to families in need and is funded by the United Way, government contracts, user fees and private donations. Established on Thanksgiving Day in 1835, Family Service is the oldest organization of its kind in central Indiana . ### Media Contact: Travis Perkins Family Service of Central Indiana, Inc. (317) 644-7221 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it www.family-service-inc.org |
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Build and Maintain healthy Family Relationships Communicate by your actions as well as your words. A well-timed hug or touch can mean more than a thousand words. |
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Media Press Releases Family Service of Central Indiana Celebrates 175th Anniversary
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