1999 Anniversary – Excellence at the Intersections

~ f1 •f1 f1 ~ CENTER for 1111 ~ FAMiliE~ ~ ~ ~ From the Director ~ ---------------------------------- ~ ounded in 1993, the Center for Families at School of Consumer and Family Sciences to bring ~ FPurdue University is a concrete reminder about change focused on families, an issue about ~ that families, in all their diverse forms, are the foun which they are deeply passionate, and a change that ~ dation of society. This anniversary report docu is even more lasting than bricks and mortar. These !4 ments the first seven years of the center's work. caring partners have both extended and focused the A decade ago, the Center for Families was no efforts of the School, and created possibilities for !4 more than a lofty dream shared by a few creative collaborations seldom imagined in the past. ~ and dedicated individuals. Today, the work of the In this report, you will read about the projects p4 center has touched the lives of thousands of fami and people, the history, and the future of the Cen lies. Human service professionals and extension edu ter for Families. I hope you will feel energized and F4 cators have been trained to work with families in inspired by the many important opportunities to new ways. State and local policymakers have come help families confront and surmount the challenges together to learn about new research on families and they face. children. Employers have learned about ways to ~ help their employees do a good job both at home and at work. The Center for Families draws faculty, staff, and Shelley MacDermid, Director students into new outreach efforts and brings new 'Jdhe Center for Families at Purdue University 2000 resources to the School of Consumer and Family Sciences. So far, more than 100 individuals have di As is true ofall the work ofthe rected or collaborated on 30 projects. The center Center for Families, the preparation has successfully competed for more than 40 local, ofthis report was a group effort. state, and national grants totaling over $1.3 million. Special thanks are given to Over 40 donors and advoc8.tes have pledged or pro Aadron Rausch, Betty Krejci, vided close to $2 million toward an endowment Rita Hipps, Mary Farley, fund and day-to-day operation of the center. Annette Steiger, jan Ogden, The Center for Families provides a way for fac jonathan Davis, Natashia Robbins, ulty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the and Gail johnston Ulmer. The Advisory Council of the Center for Families ---------------------------------- +Noel Beasley, Uniort of Needletrades, Industrial, Consulting Council Members and Textile Employees +Tom Brademas, Center Management Corporation +Madeleine Baker, Fort wayne Community Schools +Lorene Burkhart, Vitachlor +Ellen Galinsky, Families and Work Institute John Day, Indianapolis, Indiana +Susan Kontos, Purdue University +Harold Grotevant, University ofMinnesota +Alexis Walker, Oregon State University +Ramona K. Z. Heck, Cornell University Reed Henderson, Family Service America Ex~Officio Council Members +Leslie Hollingsworth, University ofMichigan + Dennis Savaiano Avanelle Kirksey, Purdue University +April Mason +Sheila Klinker, Indiana House ofRepresentatives +Douglas Powell +Susan Lambert, The University of Chicago +Cheryl Altinkemer +Candice Lange, Eli Lilly and Company +Donna Lero, University of Guelph +Daniel Lichter, The Ohio State University Daisy Lloyd, Indianapolis, Indiana Harriette McAdoo, Michigan State University +Joyce B. Miles, joyce B. Miles & Associates Earline Moore, Community Centers ofIndianapolis Heather Johnston Nicholson, Girls Incorporated C E N T E R for +Donna Olsen, Indiana Parent Information Network 1111 Joseph Pleck, University ofIllinois fAMiliE~ +Barbara Plochman, Chicago; Illinois Center for Families + Beth Puett, Park District Pro Shop 1269 Fowler House +Holly Schrank, Purdue University Purdue University +Mark Shunk, Cadence Network West Lafayette, IN 47907-1269 +Peg Smith, American Camping Association (765) 494-9878 Peter Sterling, The Children's Museum ofIndianapolis (765) 494-0503 (fax) Bernice Weissbourd, Family Focus [email protected] Lisa Willis, Girls Incorporated www.cfs.purdue.edu/CFF + Denotes current members at the I N T E R S E C T I 0 N S ~ ~ ~ ----------------------------------Focus on Families ~ he Center for Families is an organization within Ill develops innovative ways to enhance the quality ~ the School of Consumer and Family Sciences of life of children and families; and ~ T at Purdue University. It was founded with a generous creates and nurtures collaborations for change to gift from Lorene Burkhart (HE '57, HDR '97) and con improve the quality oflife for families and children. tinues to receive support from over 40 advocates. The A key strength of the Center for Families is its ver Center for Families works to strengthen the capacity of satility. As a result, the center conducts outreach, research, families to provide nurturing environments for their and educational activities, even though it is neither an members. academic department in the School of Consumer and The center's logo depicts a very special quilt that Family Sciences nor part of the Cooperative Extension hangs in the entrance to Fowler House on the West Service. The center has developed research-based educa Lafayette Campus of Purdue University. The quilt is an tional programs and materials; conducted needs assess ideal metaphor for the work of the center. Uniquely tied ments, program evaluations, and other applied research; to family life, quilting is found among the traditional art and created opporrunities for professional development forms of many cultures. Quilting joins fragments, that and networking around family issues. alone have limited use, into a whole that will last a life Though still you~g, the center has demonstrated time and beyond. Just as the quilter joins pieces of fab expertise in leveraging resources on behalf of families. ric, the Center for Families brings researchers, educa For example, partnerships with the Cooperative Exten tors, policymakers, and practitioners together in the ser sion Service and the Indiana Child Care Fund have made vice of families. The title of this report, Excellence at the it possible for educational materials developed by the cen Intersections, reflects this defining feature of the center's ter to be disseminated throughout the state to employers expertise. and community teams. Purdue University faculty and Specifically, the Center for Families: graduate students have teamed up with county officials Ill promotes decision-m(lking that is both informed to identifY current and future needs for child care and by rigorous research and responsive to families' youth services. New opportunities for excellence continue needs, and works to make such research available, to emerge, and the Center for Families is well- positioned accessible, and understandable; to meet them. School of Consumer and Family Sciences P U R D U E U N I V E R s IT Y 2 Special Relationships The Center for Families receives considerable sup Helping Those port from the School of Consumer and Family Sciences. Contributions from the Dean's office help to support stu Who Help Families dent fellowships, physical facilities, and fund-raising ac The Center for Families tivities. The work of both assistant directors is made pos focuses on enhancing the sible by generous contributions from CFS Extension. Without the support of the department of Child work of four important Development and Family Studies and its head, Douglas groups whose efforts Powell, the work of the Center for Families could not C E H. T E R directly impact quality II proceed. As director of the center's first project to be for of life for families: fUnded and to receive state and national awards, Profes fAMiliE~ extension educators and sor Powell has actively participated in the work of the specialists, human service professionals, center since its inception. Because the center is housed policymakers, and employers. With within CDFS, Dr. Powell also actively guides and sup informed sensitivity to family issues, ports all aspects of its managmeent. Other department these groups have the power to improve members also participate enthusiastically. CDFS faculty the quality of life for families in Indiana have initiated more than half of the center's projects. and beyond. Timeline of the Center for Families 1995 30th advocate gift First Donald W Felker Leadership Conference on II Advocate pledges to date exceed $1.5 million ""''""ll"'Jf.'Y for women is held, coordinated by Advocate contributions to date exceed $250,000 Altinkemer First $100,000 grant for the evaluation of the First Lorene Burkhart pledges gift of $1 million Steps program Susan Kontos is a'ppointed founding director The Center for Families quilt is completed 1996 It's My Child Too becomes II Center receives first national grant, the the first funded project AAMFT-Head Start Collaboration II First advisory council meeting is held Cheryl Lorene Susan Kontos, Altinkemer, Burkhart, Founding Development Founding Donor Director Officer An anniversary report of T H E C E N T E R F 0 R F AM I L I E S -- 3 ~ ~ ~ ~ ----------------------------------Directors of the Center for Families Shelley MacDermid 1 Aadron Rausch Betty Krejci Director 1 Assistant Director for Outreach 1 Assistant Director for Policy A member of the Ms. Rausch holds In 1997, Ms. Purdue University B.S. and M.S. Krejci became the faculty since 1989, degrees from the assistant program Dr. MacDermid department of leader for holds M.S., child development consumer and M.B.A., and and family studies family sciences Ph.D. degrees at Purdue Extension. Part of from The Pennsylvania State University. She became a consumer this position is allocated to her role in University. She has a strong interest and family sciences Extension the Center for Families. A master's in work-family issues and in the specialist in 1997, a position shared graduate of Iowa State University, evaluation of communities' needs and with the Center for Families. Ms. Ms. Krejci has extensive experience as program outcomes.

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