Passion, commitment, kindness, professionalism, quality, and respect are just a few of the many words that come to mind when I think of our team of now 1500+ staff. Every organization thinks that their employees are the greatest, but at Center For Family Services, we not only think of our staff as head and shoulders above the rest, but as a vital piece of our success.

Ensuring that staff are treated as our most valuable resource is ingrained in our company culture and is even written within our goals and values as an agency. Without our team, our over 100 year history would not be possible. We would not be able to positively change as many lives as we do each day, create innovative services, and advocate as widely as we do for our communities.

The work our team at Center For Family Services do is truly their life’s work, and I feel that in every interaction I have. Our employees are an unstoppable team of diligent individuals whose devotion to helping others serves as a great example to all. Appreciation goes a long way as a motivation, and I hope our staff know how truly appreciated they are.

To maintain this level of service and gratitude, we make it a point to provide a variety of professional development opportunities and unique experiences for staff to take advantage of. We encourage our staff to challenge themselves and stay up to date with best practices so that they can provide high quality services to the individuals and families in our care. This is done through annual staff development summits, monthly human trafficking and LGBTQ+ trainings, certification courses, and continuing education opportunities.

In addition, staff from across our programs have the opportunity to have their voices heard by participating in our various employee-led committees, sharing successes in our staff newsletter, attending town hall meetings, writing for our Expert Angle employee blog, and taking part in staff panels revolving around cultural awareness months. With so many staff spread out across the state, it can be difficult to feel connected to one another, but these staff programs help create a sense of community for employees. This type of atmosphere is particularly important in maintaining the family-like company culture we have built at Center For Family Services. Feedback from committees, panels, and various events are taken seriously and used to improve staff’s experience at the agency. Input from staff regularly leads to new and enhanced learning opportunities or organizational events that better both staff and the individuals we serve.

Our success as an organization is a direct result of the efforts of every individual who has called Center For Family Services their place of employment. No matter how large their role, each person has a mark on this agency, and I’m grateful for their legacy. Together, we change lives.