Out-going chair of the FSM Board of Directors, Farrah Rifelj, gave a moving farewell address.

Family Service staff, guests, and board members: Welcome and thank you for coming.

This is the last year I will stand in front of you to give this address. If you are new to the organization, but also attended the We Are Family event, you may be asking yourself, "Is she the awful person who ripped the grand prize from her two adorable boys?" Yes, that's me. But they survived and learned an important lesson in conflicts of interest. They of course didn't think it as valuable of a lesson as I did. 

I have been on the board for seven years, since 2009, and have served the last two years as board president. 

To be totally honest, when I started this journey, I didn't know exactly what to expect or the challenges to come. What I knew, however, is that Family Service Madison had an extremely rich history in providing needed services to this community. A 100 + year history. 

I wasn't qualified to provide the services--I'm not a therapist or educated in social services, and honestly, I'm not sure I would have the emotional stamina for it anyway--so this was the one way I thought I could contribute to Family Service. And I've been extremely proud of this organization; proud of ALL OF YOU: 

• every day, you help victims of trauma;
• every day, you give kids having trouble in school a place they can call home, a mentor, a champion, a pathway forward;
• every day, you teach parents how to have more productive and positive relationships with their children;
• every day you provide a shoulder to lean on, someone to talk to to someone who needs it;
• every day, you provide company employees with a comforting outlet to manage stress or anxiety in their life;
• every day you help those suffering with mental illness cope and create a path toward positive outcomes; and
• every day, you help babies and toddlers overcome early developmental challenges and equip their families to improve their lives. 

Everyone saw at the We Are Family event firsthand the impact you can have. The wonderful things that you all do--that's why we are here, and this is why I've donated my time for seven years. 

Of course, we've had our share of headaches and bumps in the road, especially as funding resources become tighter, and we are working through those and continuously looking for additional sources of revenue.

We've mounted efforts which continue to supplement our finances with management contracts, grants, and donations.

We've made efforts to increase our public awareness. Russ, Boris, and Julie have done this through media contacts, articles, and social media.

Of course, there is always more work to be done and, while I will not be a part of it as a board member, I want you to know that you can count on me if you need me in the future. 

As I leave this organization, what I will remember most is all of you, your dedication, and how you make a life changing impact in the lives of the people you help. And let's face it:  We know you are not doing it for the money. All of you are here because you care. Thank you very much for allowing me to be part of this journey with you for the past seven years.

Farrah is a partner at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP who assists corporate clients navigate complex employment law questions to find practical solutions for their businesses. She is also a mother to three wonderful children.

Thank you, Farrah, for those remarks. More importantly, thank you for nearly a decade of faithful service to and leadership of FSM. This community will never grasp its debt of gratitude to you.

Thank you, too, Mr. District Attorney. It's both comforting and inspirational knowing that you are who you are and are doing what you do.
And thank you--all of you--FSM board members and staff, for a most remarkable year. 

I know what you're thinking: What the heck is he talking about? Isn't 2016 the year we lost a contract worth a quarter of our revenue? Wasn't that the year we said goodbye to far too many long-time FSM family members? Didn't it seem like a lot of us faced serious health issues in 2016? Wasn't 2016 when it seemed like every time we turned around we took another blow?

Yes, that's all true. But it's only part of the truth. 

Despite those difficulties, FSM repeatedly rose to the challenge and took huge strides forward.

While 2016 was a financial disaster for us, our combined efforts have produced a 2017 budget that's in black ink. Budgets are, of course, merely signposts guiding our way, and we have hard work ahead to make it a reality, but that we were able to get to this point in so short a time is nothing short of remarkable.

We took strides forward in our efforts to raise awareness of FSM. 

Our therapeutic services also took strides forward. 

We also made important internal changes at FSM that will improve both the efficiency of our work and our enjoyment of our work lives. 

Our infrastructure received some long-overdue upgrades in 2016: 

• a new network server;
• a new phone system;
• the switch to Paylocity for payroll;
• the switch to Outlook 365;
• the initiation of a conversion of our accounting from Sage to Quickbooks; and
• the purchase of a new EHR system.

All of these promise to pay dividends over the coming years.

At the Madison Capital Times.

Jan. 2, 2017

Jan. 26, 2017

At Huffington Post:

Responding to bigotry, and understanding toxic masculinity.

A collection of poems created to support Family Service Madison, a non-profit organization building stronger families and safer communities.  The proceeds from your purchase go to fund FSM's important service.

"Russell King takes on the challenges of becoming a sensitive man in an ever-changing world. He captures the wonder and confusion surrounding being a new age father using rhyme, blank verse, and haiku. His poems explore relationships and life." -- Oscar Mireles, Poet Laureate of the City of Madison

You can get it here.

FSM was born, 107 years ago, when several area charities joined forces. Today, FSM supports our local non-profit organizations in many ways, offering a wide range of services at costs designed to save money, stretch budgets, and help other non-profits survive and thrive. You can learn more here