The Racine Family YMCA and Family Service of Racine (FSR) are joining forces effective today.
FSR, 420 7th St., which recently celebrated its 110th anniversary, will become the keystone of the Y’s new Family Service Branch. The licensed counseling services provided by FSR won’t change at all and will complement and augment the resources of the Y’s community development programs.
Liz Hansen-Will, FSR’s executive director, will now be Director of the YMCA Family Service Branch and continue to oversee the FSR’s clinical services. The Y will assume the FSR’s administrative duties.
“The decision to join forces was made late last year, but the FSR and YMCA boards have been working to make this happen for nearly two years,” Jeff Collen, YMCA CEO said in a news release.
“Having the Y take on the back-office responsibilities will allow the development of new services that we’ve long envisioned to meet emerging community needs,” said Alicia Schmitz, FSR board president.
Therapy services, parenting classes, supervised visitations and the MargaretAnn’s program all will continue at the FSR location. Plans call for Hansen-Will to gradually take on an oversight role in the Y’s Focus on Fathers and the First Choice Pre-Apprenticeship Program.
“The merger with Family Service of Racine is yet another example of the Y taking a progressive step to meet the needs of the Racine community at a time when it’s needed most,” Dave Holland, Racine Family YMCA chief volunteer officer, said in a news release. “The Y’s commitment to healthy living is not just about physical health and being another gym. Physical, mental and spiritual health are all part of the Y’s commitment to strengthening our community through healthy living. FSR is another important building block in meeting that need.”