News

The Center for Youth and Family Solutions Preserves Critical Services for Thousands Across the State

“Being a part of the team that established The Center for Youth and Family Solutions was one of the most rewarding projects of my life,” says Michael Drymiller, CYFS Board President and Financial Advisor for Northwestern Mutual Life. “It was truly inspiring to see passionate, caring people come together to solve a problem, especially when the end goal was to maintain the continuity of care for literally thousands of already very vulnerable foster children. I am honored and humbled to be a part of this solution.”

Four other compassionate civic minded individuals joined Mike on the original CYFS Board to help create this new human service agency responding to a critical child and family services crisis in central Illinois:

• Michael O’Melia, Professor of Social Work, St. Ambrose University
• Julie Ramlo-Hohulin, Account Manager; Muller, Bressler & Brown
• Janet Mathis, Executive Director, Renew Moline
• Jeff Myers, CFO, Prepared Insurance

They have since been joined by Jane Ohaver- a Peoria area attorney as they guide staff in fulfilling the agency mission. The Center for Youth and Family Solutions has a unique and inspiring story driven by a profound commitment to serve children and families and communities in need. Most of all we have an enduring faith in the human spirit that with collaboration and support all people have the capability to solve their problems. This coming year we anticipate we will serve 25,000 children and families in need across 37 counties throughout central Illinois. We welcome all to join us in our journey.

For more information on how a vision and the solution evolved into the creation of The Center for Youth and Family Solutions, visit our website.

Runaway and Homeless Youth – The Center for Youth and Family Solutions Responds to the Crisis

It was 12:43 am late on a warm spring night when the crisis call came in to the 24 hour Emergency Runaway Crisis Response line of The Center for Youth and Family Solutionsfrom the local Police Department. “Ashley”, a 15 year adolescent female, had been brought into custody by the Police after she had been found walking on the bike path by the river after curfew with several other older youth. When questioned by the police about why she was not home-she explained she had no place to go and had been locked out of her home by her mother and her mom’s boyfriend a few days ago. She was brought to the station and the On Call Crisis Intervention caseworker “Melissa” from The Center for Youth and Family Solutions was called by the police to help assess and resolve the situation with the family.

This story is not an isolated incident. Scenes like the one above are happening daily in central Illinois and nationwide with estimates of over 2 million homeless or runaway youth each year across the country–and the numbers continue to rise. While you may think runaway youth in Illinois is just a problem in the larger Chicago metro area, research by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless shows that per capital youth runaways and homelessness is equally prevalent inplaces such as Peoria, Rock Island, Springfield and Champaign. Read More…

Become part of the Solution. Donate or Volunteer!

Consider donating to The Center for Youth and Family Solutions! We need your help more than ever at this critical time as we build the agency programs in our communities. You can give your dollars directly to your favorite program or to the agency overall mission! To find out more about how to donate, visit our website.

Those donating $1000 or more become Founding Partners of the agency and are permanently recognized for their support. We welcome The Moline Foundation as our newest Founding Partner! Check our our page to see our growing list of Founding Partners.

If you would wish to explore volunteer opportunities with the The Center for Youth and Family Solutions in your area- call or email our Volunteer Coordinator, Sue Hirschman, at (309) 323-6600.

Fighting Hunger & Poverty: The Center for Youth and Family Solutions Partners With River Bend Foodbank

Our Macomb office has been busy this spring sponsoring two mobile food distributions for those in need in western Illinois. Through a grant made possible by Volunteers Interested in Benefiting Everyone (VIBE), The Center for Youth and Family Solutions was able to sponsor food distributions where hundreds of rural families in need were able to take home fresh and nutritous food. If you would like to be part of the solution to end hunger, our next mobile food distribution is set for August 9th at the VFW in Macomb. Contact us at info@cyfsolutions.org for more volunteer information.

Adoption- A Loving Choice

Did you know The Center for Youth and Family Solutions has experienced and highly trained ADOPTION program staff throughout our 37 county service area that can assist you or a loved one in the Adoption process? For information on our Adoption program, click here.

Don’t forget to ‘like us’ on Facebook! We update our page weekly giving you information aboutThe Center for Youth and Family Solutions in between newsletters! To visit our Facebook page, click here.

The Center for Youth and Family Solutions has a variety of programs and services for every stage of life. Learn more about how we help people find solutions by reviewing all our programs by clicking here.

Our central Peoria Administrative Offices and all Peoria programs have a new home! Stay tuned for more information on our Open House! New location is 2610 West Richwoods Blvd. Peoria, IL 61604.