Florence Crittenton Family Services is delighted to announce they will be holding a ground-breaking ceremony on Wednesday June 28th 2023 at 2:30pm at their new campus at 3404 Cooney Drive, Helena.
Florence Crittenton has been working closely with Slate Architecture, Dick Anderson Construction and engineering firms in Helena to clearly define the scope of the renovation and ensure it meets the needs of the organization’s growing programs. The renovation will begin on the garden level which will house the Child Enrichment Center. Once complete, the center will provide high quality early childhood programs for 48 children in our community, an increase of 100%. Following that, work will begin on the 2nd floor which will house the Residential programs for women and children. The ground floor will then be renovated and contain Florence Crittenton’s community services and administration wings. Completion of the campus is scheduled for July 2024.
Present at the groundbreaking will be long time funders of Crittenton programs from The Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation, as well as others from Director Brereton from DPHHS. Due to the Washington Foundation’s incredible generosity, the Child Enrichment Center will be named Phyllis Washington Child Enrichment Center. There will be an opportunity for the donors to sign the concrete walls and some of the children currently participating in Florence Crittenton’s preschool will leave some treasures and mementos to be buried in the walls for future generations to find!
Florence Crittenton offers residential treatment programs for women and children, outpatient clinical services and home visiting programs for families, and early childhood education programs. Until now their programs have been operating in three different facilities across Helena and the organization and the families they serve will greatly benefit from co-located services with this new campus.
Throughout Florence Crittenton’s 120-year history, they have evolved time and time again to meet the changing needs of Montana’s parents and children. When they first set eyes on this property, they envisioned the next 120 years, where hundreds of families will come to heal, learn and create new dreams of their own. This new campus will provide the appropriate space and amenities needed to serve more families when they need it most.
Executive Director, Carrie Krepps, said, “This is a monumental occasion for our organization. Florence Crittenton has a rich history of serving families from across the state and this project will solidify our ability to continue that tradition for the next century. The launch of this first phase of the project marks the beginning of this new chapter. We are so grateful to the Governor’s office and Montana DPHHS for their investment in our children through the Child Care Innovation grants, and to the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation for their ongoing investment, not just in our early childhood programs, but programs across the state. These two investments are the perfect example of what happens when the public and private sectors work together to make our communities better for everyone.”
“The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation has been investing in early childhood education since the inception of the Foundation in 1988. We know that by investing early in a child’s life through high quality childcare and parent training, we can change a child’s trajectory for a lifetime,” said Mike Halligan, Executive Director of the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Florence Crittenton Family Services to complete this project that will serve children and families for generations to come.”
