'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 a system to promote resources, services and support to meet the needs of families and children by establishing ongoing educational programs, thereby increasing the number of children raised in healthy families 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.”

Executive Director, Susan Christofferson, administrates the organization with guidance from the dedicated volunteer Board of Directors. The Nurturing Center employs 17 highly skilled individuals and utilizes hundreds of volunteers to provide services to the community. Families go through life changing experiences when they participate in programs that strengthen families.

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?

Michelle Obama visits The Nurturing Center

Michelle Obama with Nurturing Center staff:

From left to right – front row:

Mihaela Dimitru, Susan Christofferson, Gayle Parker, Rhonda Miller, Mary Lyons, Lori Riley

From left to right – back row:

Diane Clark, Joleen Ogle, Michelle Obama, Kathleen White, Colleen Downing,

Michelle Wheat, Clariese Lyons, Angel Bonny

• Executive Director
  Susan Christofferson

Susan was one of the founders of the organization and works tirelessly to advocate for parents and children.  She embodies the philosophy of treating each family with respect and dignity and is passionate about fostering their success.  Her commitment is to support the needs of families including; parenting encouragement, quality child care and prevention services.  She is the proud parent of two adult children and three foster children.

SUSAN'S RECENT AWARDS

• 2003 Freedom Fighter Award “A one-woman peace-keeping force for families in crisis.”
• 2004 Unsung Hero  from a local TV channel
• 2005 Dan George Memorial Award “for outstanding dedication to the field of human services” 
• 2007 McCarthy Public Service Award for her service to Montana’s Children
• 2008 Making a Difference for Women  Award from the Kalispell Chapter of the Soroptimists, Leadership and Mentoring Women

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.

• Molly McCabe – Hayden Tanner LLC

Molly McCabe has over 17 years of corporate experience in banking and finance. She is the CEO of Hayden Tanner, LLC, a strategic consulting and executive coaching firm that helps organizations meet their goals for growth and profitability by maximizing the value of sustainability through innovation, environmental excellence and corporate responsibility.  People, planet & profit.

• David Stone – Coldwell Banker
  

David Stone is currently a Real Estate Broker for Coldwell Banker Wachholz & Co. in Kalispell Montana.   He brings his lifelong love of children to our organization. He lives with his wife, Julie and their two wonderful children, Ben & Anna. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a Master’s in Education.  He’s lived in Africa, Australia, Europe and Canada and loves immersing himself in other cultures.  He was an assistant teacher at a child care facility while still in high school, a journalist for six years and he taught High School for ten years at our local High School.

• Cheryl Steenson –

Cheryl Steenson was born and raised in the Flathead Valley. She is an educator, teaching college freshman English and High School English. Her first experience with early education was during a year of volunteer service with Americorp.

 

• Cailin Rogers –

Cailin is a high school senior at Flathead High School. She is a Full Diploma candidate in the International Baccalaureate program. She heard about the Nurturing Center through the IB program's volunteer hours coordinator. After reading up on the program, Cailin decided to apply to become the board's single youth member. Cailin is excited to bring her experience working with other boards in the community to the Nurturing Center. She is devoted to bringing a fresh, young perspective to the board until she leaves for college.

 

• Mike Burr –

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.

 

Our Citizen’s Advisory Group

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

• Pam Kennedy
  Mayor of Kalispell
  
  

• 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

• Tom Donnelly

Publisher

Flathead Beacon

THE NURTURING CENTER STAFF

SPRING 2007

Front row: Gayle Parker, Susan Christofferson, Rhonda Miller

2nd row: Colleen Downing, Angel Bonny, Joleen Ogle, Lori Riley, Pati Jones

Back row: Diane Clark, Kathleen White, Lorrie Bennett, Melody Domph, Mary Lyons

Not pictured: Michelle Wheat, Clariese Lyons

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Child Care Providers Needed:

• Would you like to own your own business?

• Do you like working with children?

Then opening an in-home child care may be for you.

Benefits of operating your own child care include:

• Ability to stay home with your own children

• Be your own boss

• Great tax deductions

• Reimbursement for feeding the children in your care

• Qualification for Merit Pay (State incentive for taking training)

• Qualification for State mini-grants

• Support of The Nurturing Center, your local Resource & Referral agency - devoted to the care of young children

• Free referral services to your program

For more information about becoming an in-home child care provider, call 406-756-1414 or email us at info@nurturingcenter.org.