Annual Report FY 24-25
A Message From Our President/CEO
Celebrating Impact - Building Futures
Mission Moments
We frequently discuss “mission moments” at CONCERN. We take a step back to look at all the amazing stories and yes, IMPACTS we have on so many. My favorite “mission moment” from this past year was a community outing we had where we took some boys from our residential program to a hockey game. One of the boys was emotional, and I saw him tearing up. I asked him what was wrong, and he said, “I’m just so happy and excited, I’ve never seen or experienced anything like this.” We forget that many of the experiences we have, we take for granted, and many children and youth in care are not afforded that opportunity, but because of support from generous donors and community members, we are able to provide these invaluable opportunities. AT CONCERN, we make an IMPACT and create “mission moments” every day! This is why we do what we do!
"Together, we are building brighter futures - one child, one family, one community at a time."
National Training and Development Curriculum
We’ve implemented the National Training and Development Curriculum for Foster and Adoptive Parents. Led by our Region Development Coordinator, Brian Brunsell, and a team of others, this initiative ensures high-quality, meaningful training and meets the Council on Accreditation goals for specialized topics like the Indian Child Welfare Act and LGBTQ+ issues. In-person training was held and the initial feedback on the Training Curriculum from foster parents has been amazing! Challenges - We OvercameThis year was not without challenges. The government's budget shut down both at the state and federal levels; Medicaid procedural changes, policy changes, and rising insurance costs (health and liability), to name a few. Through all the challenges, and with an amazing team of people at CONCERN, we continue to be a healthy, strong organization, which was built to weather all the storms thrown at us. We thank you for your continued support and look forward to building futures together.
Kinship Foster Care Expansion
Keeping Families and Communities Together
Kinship foster care continues to be one of our most sought-after services. Approval times for this service are shorter, and these families need more support. This is due to the unexpected nature and immediate need of the service, which simultaneously puts the potential kinship resource in a stressful situation as well. However, children placed with relatives or close family friends experience less disruption of “normal” life activities and community than they would if they were placed in a traditional foster home and further away from their community. Although approval timelines are shorter, families often require additional support because of the urgent nature of placement and the unexpected responsibility of becoming a foster parent so quickly. This year, we have placed 35 youth in Kinship homes since September, and we are continuing to approve more families as I write this message! We’ve developed a formal program description and service levels to ensure quality and efficiency that directly address the challenges and processes needed to assess and ensure kinship homes are ready for the youth coming into care. We’re committed to expanding this vital service across Pennsylvania and into Maryland.
Development and New Programs
While these programs were not up and running in FY 24/25, so much leg work was completed to get them ready for the FY 25/26 start date. We completed policies, procedures, and service descriptions for our new substance use disorder (SUD) program and our new Supervised Independent Living Program (SILP), which are both opening soon. These are two essential services that also allow us to diversify our funding streams and programs. All of our current and future programs have clients with needs beyond what our current funding provides. This is why we fundraise. Fundraising dollars count and we can’t support all of our children and families without your support and donations!
Thank You Donors
Last year’s fundraising efforts raised $158,000 to help children, youth, and families throughout PA and Maryland. Events like our Murder Mystery Signature Event, Corporate and local office Bingo, Highmark Walk, and other local office initiatives, as well as donations from generous donors, helped us care for our clients. Your support and attendance at events provide support for each of our funds – helping children in foster care, helping our youth in residential treatment, and supporting our behavioral health clients with needs that are not covered by our current funding. Together, we are building brighter futures—one child, one family, one community at a time. Gordon May, President/CEO
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A Message from Our Board Chair
Together We have Made a Lasting Impact
Together, We have Made Lasting Impact
I have been on CONCERN’s Board of Directors for 6 years, and in July I had the honor of becoming the Chairman of the Board. Being a part of the Board has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It has allowed me to witness firsthand the incredible impact CONCERN has on children and families, and to work alongside passionate individuals who share a commitment to building brighter futures. As I reflect on this past year, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for what we’ve accomplished together. Every story in this report, every child who found stability through a caring foster family, every behavioral health client who is working on healing, every young man in residential treatment who is working on skills to become independent, exists because of you.
Community Impact- Enhance our Well-Being and Build a Stronger Community
But as much as we celebrate these successes, we know the need is still great. More families are waiting for help, more children need stability, and more communities need support. That’s why I’m asking you, from the bottom of my heart, to continue this journey with us. This report is not just a celebration of our success from the past year; it is also a call to action. A request to help us achieve more. I personally request that you include CONCERN in your giving, whether that is once (today), monthly, or throughout the year.
Growth - Expanded Outreach to Children, Youth, and Families
I’ve had the privilege of experiencing firsthand a small sample of the work staff does day in and day out at this year’s Foster Parent, Staff, & Board of Directors Appreciation event at Knoebels. I have seen kids in foster care smile during a Knoebels appreciation event, some of whom might never have been to an amusement park before. I have seen the young men in our residential treatment facility work on anger management, their education, working together as a team, and learning what it means to be part of a community. I have seen community members and donors support our fundraising efforts, so we have the resources to help clients when they need it most.
Future Vision - Dedicated to Creating Brighter Futures
Your gift is more than a donation—it’s support and help to those who need it most. It’s a promise that we will keep building futures filled with hope and opportunity. As we celebrate this past year’s impact, we are also looking toward the future, and the future needs you. Thank you for standing with us, for believing in this mission, and for being part of our community. Kevin Washington, Board Chair