"Encourage receives approximately 20 referrals a day looking for placements for foster children in Stark County. Due to the lack of Encourage foster homes in that area, we can typically only place 1-2 foster children per 20 referrals," says Jessie Berry, Director of Encourage Foster Care.
The Building Hope Campaign is a 2.5-million-dollar initiative to construct a new Encompass Christian Counseling and Encourage Foster Care facility in Massillon, OH. The new facility will more than double the current size of our Massillon Encompass office and provide space for Encourage Foster Care.
Due to our current facility’s size, the Encompass waiting list for therapy can be upwards of 100 people, and individuals in need are referred to other counties or forced to wait for the mental health services they so desperately require.
The new facility will allow space for Encourage for staff, trainings, foster parent pre-service and room for case management and counseling for foster children. The new facility will also increase the Encompass staff from 7 to 16 clinicians. There will also be a life skills room to teach foster youth and clients practical life skills, a group room and better accessibility to allow a wider range of clients that we can serve.
"Stark is one of the counties we receive the most referrals from. So, I feel it is a true blessing that we have the opportunity to grow in Stark County. It is so important to be present in the counties we serve. It gives us the opportunity to share the need, provide support and come together to fulfil James 1:27." - Heather Huebner, Encourage Director of Operations & Recruitment
It is in our ability to impact lives, families and communities – to allow us to better care for the mental health and foster care demands in Stark and surrounding counties. Together, we can help more people experience their worth in Christ.
Learn more at buildinghopecampaign.org.
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