Annual Report and Audit

Building Better Lives. At Kids Central, this is not merely a slogan — it’s our calling. Our dedicated team seeks to live out this calling each and every day with respect, compassion, and commitment equal to the enormous trust placed in us on behalf of our community’s most vulnerable children and families. We measure our work against the most important yardstick we know: making a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve. I am pleased to report that through the challenges and trials of the past year, we have once again lived up to this high calling.

Kids Central’s ability to create better outcomes for those we serve can be seen in the wide variety of effective programs that we implement and oversee. From prevention efforts such as our Healthy Start Program that helps parents care for our youngest neighbors, to our Independent Living Program that equips former foster youth for a successful future. We continue to make a positive impact that will be felt in our community for generations to come.

As a community-based care lead agency, partnership and a spirit of collaborative caring are written into our DNA. Our partner agencies, foster parents, volunteers, and benefactors make our mission possible, and the success of this model of care continues to be demonstrated year after year. In spite of society-wide economic challenges, the state’s opioid crisis, a 70% increase in the number of children receiving out-of-home services, and flat funding, our network agility and tremendous community partnerships have allowed Kids Central to continue our pioneering approach.

I have often said that, “There is no finish line in child welfare.” The journey is ongoing, and we thank you for sharing it with us as we change lives for the better along the way.