Monday, December 14, 2015

2015 - A Year in Review and kickstart to 2016!




2015 has been a year of sustainable growth for Center for Families – a year in which groundwork was laid for a strong and effective future.  Think about it!  During this very difficult time, in the midst of our country’s multiple challenges, there are amazing places thriving - like Center for Families.   

Our strength comes from being part of a caring and generous community which gives us the resources we need to help vulnerable families.   


Some of the highlights of our growth include:

  • Our child care space at the Respite Center was chosen by  Design for a Difference-Madison for a complete interior makeover.  It. Is. Incredible!!  The design is more adaptive for the different developmental stages of the children we serve, it added another bedroom, and most importantly, creates a space where everyone feels welcome and safe. Read more here!
  •  Our Parent Child Home program expanded and is currently serving 71 first-year families and 89 second-year families.  Children are on their way to success in school and life! (PCHP info)
  • The Dane County Parent Council programs moved into the Center for Families building. They are a welcome partner in our work and it is great to have them as part of our family.
  • Our Community Action  Board (CAB), comprised of parent participants working in conjunction with our Parents Place staff, are creating four parent education and support groups to begin in 2016. In addition, our Board of Directors will be welcoming a CAB member to a seat on the Board in 2016. 
  • The MEDiC Center for Families Pediatric Clinic opened in 2015.  This is a program of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health that offers free health care for unisursed and underinsrued infants and children once a month.  Read more here!
  • Forward Services placed a full-time  employment and training specialist in our building to make it easier for parents to get the necessary support they need to become fully employed.
  • Parents’ resiliency and courage against tough odds is still the order of the day.
Center for Families is in pretty good shape, but we continue to need your financial support to address the shape that our community is in.

You are the bedrock upon which our work is built.  To keep our foundation strong and sustainable, we depend upon your yearly financial gift.  When you take action by supporting Center for Families, you provide for children right now and invest in a brighter future for our entire community.  $0.83 of every dollar is put towards direct services to children and families.

A non-profit 501(c)3, Center for Families is funded by grants and public and private donations. Donations are tax deductible.  A tax receipt will be provided for your records.  You are welcome to make your donation in honor of those special to you as well.

If you would like to help support our cause, you may donate online, or send payment to:
Center for Families
Attn: Development Office
2120 Fordem Avenue
Madison, WI  53704



Friday, December 11, 2015

Insane Inflatable 5k - Madison, WI

The Insane Inflatable 5K is coming to Madison! Get ready to experience the most fun, wild and insane obstacle run in the world. Get “pumped up” for a course filled with the world’s largest and most extreme inflatable obstacles ever produced. Here’s your chance to be a kid at heart, and insane by choice!

 

►SAVE $5 on your registration while supporting Center for Families by using the discount code of SHELDON5 at registration!◄

REGISTRATION FEES & INFORMATION

MINIMUM HEIGHT REQUIREMENT: 42″
NO MINIMUM AGE
PRICE* PRICE EXPIRES (11:59pm CT)
$49 January 8, 2016
$54 May 13, 2016
$57 June 17, 2016
$60 July 8, 2016
$65 July 22, 2016
$75 Event Day Only
$100 ALL ACCESS PASS (Sign up for any wave time, even if it is full.)

*Use discount code SHELDON5 to receive $5 off your fee!

SPECTATORS ARE FREE – SO BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

►Each registration using the SHELDON5 code gives $5 off your registration AND it will earn Center for Families a $5 donation. Use our Facebook event page to invite friends and family: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1518675245096563/1518845665079521/

Read More & Register using discount code at:
http://insaneinflatable5k.com/madison-wi


Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Respite Center Open House



Thanks to FLOOR360, Brava Magazine, NBC15 Madison, and talented local designers and artists, Center for Families was the proud recipient of Design For A Difference-Madison. Our Respite Center program received an interior design makeover in October 2015 valued over $140k in goods and services; a feat that was completed in just NINE days!


 


Our Respite Center program alone serves over 800 unduplicated children annually that are in need of emergency or crisis care. We are open 365/24/7.

This makeover has already allowed us to better serve children and their families, provide improved services for our staff, and has given us the opportunity to help more local families.

We invite you to this rare, public open house to see the Respite Center, tour the rest of our facility, including our popular Play & Learn Center, and learn more about all our family-centric programs.

While you're here, you can leave your mark by hand-painting a wall tile that will be displayed to our Community Room kitchen (while supplies last).

$10 suggested donation at the door. Your donation will help us support our current families and open our doors to more families in need.

For more information on Design for a Difference, visit: http://www.floor360.com/d4ad/

Questions? Please contact eventcoord@centerforfamilies.org.

Tell your friends! Share! Attend! This is a rare opportunity that you don't want to miss.




 

Friday, July 31, 2015

5% Community Giving Day at Whole Foods


Whole Food Market of Madison is donating 5% of the entire days sales to Center for Families.

 





Visit our information booth, enjoy family-focused recipes provided by Whole Foods, and plan to stay for free screening of Jurassic Park at 7:30 on the patio! Popcorn, refreshments, and s'mores available (at a suggested donation to CFF).

►Recipes sampled from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
►Free Jurassic Park Outdoor Movie at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

15% Donation Day at Capitol Kids to benefit Center for Families

Looking for toys that promote creativity, learning, imagination and fun? Capitol Kids is where you need to go!

Capitol Kids is celebrating their 15th anniversary by donating back 15% of sales on Wednesday, August 5, 2015 to Center for Families.

You will find a great selection of beautiful things made from amazing materials and many toys are heirloom quality. Whether you are seeking just the right thing for a new baby or a science geek, a kid who is nuts about sparkly stuff, or some adult with a weird and wacky side, Capitol Kids can help!

While you're there, stop by our information table to learn more about Center for Families!

Visit the Capitol Kids Facebook page or their website to learn more about this locally-owned gem located on the Capitol square: http://capitolkids.com/

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

It is with great sorrow to announce that Center for Families has lost our Executive Director, Mike Kenitz. He passed away on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 surrounded by his family. Center for Families will continue to operate under the direction of our Board of Directors and Interim Executive Director, Meg Miller. Meg has been managing our Respite Center for over 30 years and has been a close confidant to Mike and our Board.


--
 
Kenitz, Michael M.

MADISON -Michael M. Kenitz, age 60, passed away at home on Wednesday, July 15, 2015, surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born on March 11, 1955, in Milwaukee, the son of Maurice and Bernadine (Prodzinski) Kenitz. He married Janet Yelk on March 30, 1990. Michael received his bachelor's degree from UW Green Bay and his masters in Social Work from UW Madison. He worked for Children's Service Society as Area Director in Madison for fifteen years, as Executive Director for Innovative Family Partnerships, Inc. in Milwaukee for 4 years, and concluded his career in non-profit work with Center for Families, which he lead as Executive Director for 8 years. Mike was passionate about the WIAA Boys State Basketball Tournament, eventually gathering a publish-worthy statistics and short story book on the matter. He was a true UW Madison basketball fan, along with many other athletics, personally enjoying and participating in a wide variety of sports his whole life. Mike loved gardening, and was inspired by the awe and beauty of nature. His other passions included: painting, reading, all mediums of art, trains, classic cars, architecture, and music as well. His career was one of his strongest passions, as Michael loved working with children and struggling, low income families, where his warm, caring personality shined. This aspect of his character was palpable through the love he showed his family, and how he selflessly devoted his life to them, whom he loved above all else. 

Michael is survived by his wife, Janet; daughter, Emily; son, Colin; mother, Bernie Ruh; two sisters, Nancy Yost and Diane Bazan; father-in-law, Zeno Yelk; sisters-in-law, Karen (Dave) Christianson, Margie (Charlie) Kline and Doris (Bill) Yelk-Wilberg; brothers-in-law, Donny (Lori) Yelk and Ken Yelk; special friends, Paul (Janie) Hertel; and his many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Maurice; and mother-in-law, Georgene Yelk. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2450 Atwood Ave., Madison, at noon, on Monday, July 20, 2015, with Father Michael Radowicz presiding. Visitation will be held at church from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Memorials may be made to Center for Families, Carbone Cancer Center, or to the family. The family would like to thank the doctors, and staff at UW Carbone Cancer Center, Agrace HospiceCare, and Center for Families for their wonderful care and support. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Design for a Difference





Thankful.  Delighted.  Proud.  Just a few words to describe our excitement for being chosen as the Design for a Difference winner of an interior design makeover! 

Design for a Difference is a community-driven designer movement in the U.S. and Canada to bring a makeover to local nonprofits.  Center for Families was chosen out of 15 local applicants and look forward to working with this year's sponsors and the community to revive the Respite Center at Center for Families.


For more information, watch the 3-minute video here:


Design for a Difference is sponsored by:

http://www.floor360.com/d4ad/


http://www.bravamagazine.com/BRAVAMagazine.aspx
http://www.nbc15.com/




















To get involved with Design for a Difference-Madison, contact Bob Tobe of Floor360 at btobe@floor360.com.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Mallards Game Night to benefit Center for Families

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME!

Center for Families Fundraising Night at the Duck Pond.

Wednesday, July 1st at 7:05 pm
Madison Mallards vs. Kalamazoo Growlers

Tickets are $12 each and include your seat and an Official Mallards Hat! Plus, $2 of each ticket will be donated to Center for Families.


TO PURCHASE TICKETS:
GO TO: www.mallardsgroups.com
ENTER: the random letters
ENTER GROUP PASSWORD: center
*Click BUY at under the group portal offers and choose your seats (Green are available)

Tickets must be purchased through the online portal and will be available until June 17th so DON'T DELAY!
  $12/ticket – includes seat, hat and a $2 donation to Center for Families.

We hope you can join us for a fun evening!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

16th Annual Child Abuse Prevention Golf Outing



Hand-to-Hand and Center for Families invites you to support and participate in the 16th Annual Child Abuse Prevention Golf Outing to benefit Center for Families’ efforts to prevent child abuse.  With your 15 years of support nearly $190,000 has been raised by this event to assist in the Prevention of Child Abuse.

Monday, June 1, 2015 at Blackhawk County Club
10:30am Registration
11:00am Lunch
12:15pm Shotgun Start
Post-play reception including: hors d'oeuvres, silent auction, and awards/prizes


Opportunities to participate include:
Corporate, Lunch or Reception sponsorships, Foursome Sponsorship, Hole or Pin
Sponsorships, and/or donation for Silent Auction

All sponsors also have the opportunity to place a promotional item in the golfer’s
registration packets and participate in events throughout the day.  Foursome
sponsorship includes 18 holes of golf, cart, lunch and post-play reception.


Sponsorships and foursomes (limited to 25) fill us fast!  Please contact us via phone or email to let us know how you would like to participate.  You may also complete the registration/sponsorship form and return to Julie Sheldon.

Once we’ve received your reservation, we will contact you to confirm.  We are grateful for your support of Child Abuse Prevention!  We look forward to seeing you at this year’s outing on Monday, June 1, 2015 at Blackhawk Country Club!  

Registration/Sponsorship form (or you can request a printed copy by emailing eventcoord@centerforfamiies.org).