'The Nurturing Center's goal is to ensure that children are treated with

respect and live in safety with secure, healthy relationships.'

The Nurturing Center, Inc. has provided a model

for innovative family based prevention services to

both the community and the region since its inception. The organization is grounded in the belief that

diverse methods and programs are the foundation

for prevention efforts that strengthen families.

The Nurturing Center was founded in 1978 to provide comprehensive support, education and resources to families in a non-stigmatizing, accessible facility, centrally located in the heart of Kalispell. The mission reaches out to all families, focusing on culturally sensitive services to parents acknowledging the societal stresses that could result in potential family failure.

The organization’s mission statement and goals are, “to provide supportive, respectful services that strengthen families, increasing the number of

children raised in healthy, nurturing environments" and, “to implement a

highly coordinated continuum of support and services to families and to address the need for and acknowledge the importance of quality, accessible, affordable child care.”

Waiting until families fail is very costly to the community – both in financial resources and human costs. When families fail, children may be placed in foster care and must deal with intervention services such as counseling. Children whose needs are not met as a young child may become involved in criminal activity and the juvenile court system.

Children who are abused or neglected often become prematurely sexually active producing teenage pregnancy. The Children’s Defense Fund, a

national child advocacy group states that “for every dollar we invest in a

child before they reach school, we save $6.75” in remedial and health care services. Prevention just makes good economic sense and taxpayers should be aware of that savings. Yet prevention can be a nebulous term. How can we prove what doesn’t happen to families?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

1. What is The Nurturing Center?
The Nurturing Center is a family resource center founded over 30 years ago; we provide programs and services that support the needs of families. We offer educational programs and supportive services so parents can raise happy, healthy children.

2. How do you help?

We offer free child care referrals to parents and can help some families pay for their child care costs. We have a nutrition program that helps child care providers serve healthy meals; we train and offer technical support to all registered child care providers in our region. We offer parenting education and support. We have a mentoring program for 9th grade girls. We offer supervised visits to families so children can safely interact with parents who are referred to us by the Court system. We endeavor to find the solutions families are looking for to meet the needs of their children.

3. Who do you help?
All families regardless of the circumstances; parents, grandparents, child care providers, any and all concerned individuals who have children in their lives ages birth through adolescence. We offer support with dignity and respect.

4. What is your service area?
We serve all of Northwest Montana. Flathead, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders County residents are our customers.

5. What does it cost?
Some of our services, such as

parenting classes have fees associated to them. Other programs are offered at no cost to families.

6. Why do you do it?
For every dollar we invest in young children before they reach kindergarten, taxpayers save $6.75 once they are in school through the prevention of problems such as remediation.

7. How can I help?
$500 pays for the cost of one child in child care for one month.
$125 pays for one mentoring activity for Gemini.
$70 pays for two parents to take a parent education class.
$160 pays for one month of supervised visitation for one family.

• Executive Director
  Eileen Donohoue

Eileen joined the Nurturing Center staff on August 25, 2009.  She brings wide experience in the nonprofit sector and with programs serving families. She most recently worked with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies in Helena.  She has been a child care provider; worked in the Child and Adult Care Food Programs in both Colorado and Montana; and has extensive non-profit education and experience. Ms. Donohoue holds a Bachelors of Science degree in accounting with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. 

 

“She understands and believes in our mission, she understands the challenges faced by parents and families, as well as the complexity of our particular situation here,” said Barbara Calm, President of the Nurturing Center’s Board of Directors.  “She brings strength, warmth and ability, and we are very happy to welcome her.”

• Founder
  Susan Christofferson

October 19, 1949 - February 25, 2009

Susan was the first executive director and one of the founders of the organization and during her career worked tirelessly to advocate for parents and children.   She practiced the philosophy of treating each family with respect and dignity and was passionate about fostering their success.  She was committed to supporting the needs of families of all kinds, with parenting encouragement, parenting education, ensuring the availability of quality child care and providing prevention services.  The Nurturing Center is committed to continuing her philosophy and her work.

Our Board of Directors

• President

Barbara Calm, DVM – Calm Animal Care

Barbara Calm came to the Flathead Valley in 1984 to practice veterinary medicine, and opened Calm Animal Care in Kila.  Her involvement with the Nurturing Center began in 1989 when sons Wes and Neil were 3 and 6 months, and a Parent Share group was there to help with this professional veterinarian's development into an effective parent.  Barbara was a Gemini Program mentor in the mid 1990's and has served on the Nurturing Center board since 2002.  She is committed to the Nurturing Center's mission of sharing parenting resources and information with people of all backgrounds in the Flathead Valley.

• Vice-President

Darrell Worm – Ogle & Worm Law Offices

• Secretary

Gregory R. Cornell, PhD – Clinical Director of Stillwater Therapeutic

Dr. Gregory Cornell is the clinical director of Stillwater Therapeutic Services, a program of the Western Montana Mental Health Center.  Dr. Cornell's work with the Nurturing Center is an extension of his belief that prevention of mental health problems is best accomplished by ensuring that our community has an adequate infrastructure to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of children.

• Mike Burr – West One Bank

Mike is Vice President at West One Bank, a local community Bank established in 2003. Previously he worked for many years at First Security Bank (now Three Rivers Bank) in Kalispell and also owned a business in Lakeside for eight years. Mike and his wife Cindy have three children and five grand children. Mike has direct experience in utilizing programs offered by The Nurturing Center and believes strongly in role the organization plays in developing a better and safer community.

 

• John Gardner - Retired

John is recently retired after 33 years at the Flathead County Office of Public Assistance. He is currently serving his 29th year on the Board of the Flathead Food Bank as well as his 8th year as a Head Start Board member. Other Boards he has served on are School District #5, Kalispell Golf Association and 4 years on the Health Center Board. John is an avid golfer and movie goer.

 

• Michele Fauth - Flathead Valley by Owner

Owner of “Flathead Valley by Owner” with background in training and marketing.  Michelle is a mother and has developed a strong interest in parenting and compassion for others.

• Mariah Gladstone – Student

A student at Glacier High, Mariah is a member of the Speech and Debate Team, Track Team, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and President of the Young Democrats Club. Of Blackfeet and Cherokee descent, she has been involved in the “Stepping Up” Indian Youth Leadership program, and studies and performs Indian sign language. She plans on graduating in 2011 and attending Columbia University with a major in environmental engineering.

 

Our Citizen’s Advisory Group

• Mick Blodnick
  President, CEO – Glacier Bankcorp, Inc.

• Pam Carbonari
  

• Rosemary McKinnon
  MSW, Director of Admissions/Owner
  Montana Academy

• Wendy Ostrom-Price
  Communications Director
  Flathead Electric Cooperative

• Marcia Sheffels
  County Superintendent of Schools

• Joe Unterreiner
  ED, Kalispell Chamber of Commerce

• Wallace Wilder, MD
  Pediatrician

THE NURTURING CENTER STAFF

SPRING 2010

Front row: Colleen Downing, Eileen Donohoue, Sherrie Smith, Rhonda Miller, Gayle Parker, Kathleen White, Jennifer Khoury

Back row: Shannon Johnson, Joleen Ogle, Jennifer Rogge,Michelle Wheat

The Nurturing Center is Proud to Participate in Membership of the Following Organizations:

The Nurturing Center is proud to participate in membership of the following The National Association of Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) “Our Nations Leading Voice for Child Care”:  www.naccrra.net

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) “Promoting Excellence in Early Childhood Education”:  www.naeyc.org

Flathead Chapter of the Montana Association for the Education of Young Children: www.mtaeyc.org

The Montana Nonprofit Association (MNA) “Strengthening Montana’s Nonprofits”: www.mtnonprofit.org

The Montana Child Care Resource and Referral Network (MCCR&R Network) which provides statewide leadership in shaping collaborations and strengthening local resource and referral agencies for the purpose of collectively building a diverse, high quality early care and education system accessible to all Montana families:  www.montanachildcare.com

The Child and Adult Care Food Program Sponsor's Association (TSA – The Sponsors Association) provides valuable tools to help early care educators with menu planning, technical assistance and training:   www.cacfp.org

The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce: www.kalispellchamber.com

United Way of Flathead County:  “Live United”  www.liveunited.org