Family Service Center, a nonprofit that provides foster care, adoption and counseling services, has moved to a new location as of April 18.
The agency had occupied the former United Way building at 730 E. Vine for about two decades, according to executive director Karen Cox. “The building has seen better days, and we were looking to have something that might be more updated and cost-efficient,” she said.
“Last fall, Springfield Clinic reached out to us about acquiring the property. We thought that was a good opportunity to look for something that might meet our needs better,” she said.
The building at Eighth and Vine streets is just south of Springfield Clinic’s main campus. Cox said Family Service Center wanted to stay in the same general vicinity to be accessible to clients, and the nearby property at 919 S. Spring St. was a good fit.
“We’re near a lot of other agencies, and Community Child Care Connection is right next to us (at 901 S. Spring St.). A lot of our families also utilize their services,” she said.
While Family Service Center has already moved in to the 9,000-square-foot space, renovations are still underway. “We’re working on it now, doing mostly cosmetic updates like new paint and carpet, new lighting and adding security,” said Cox, who noted that the agency is utilizing small, locally owned businesses to do the work.
“We’re very excited, the location is great and easy for our clients to get to, and it’s a much newer building for us,” said Cox. A ribbon cutting is planned for the summer.
