Our Story

Family Service was the first human service organization in Champaign County. The University of Illinois, local businesses and faith leaders collaborated to create support for people dealing with poverty in 1911. In the next few years, the agency’s mission was expanded to assist families affected by World War I (1915–18) and then the Influenza Pandemic of 1918–19.  

Our ability to adapt to changing community needs has been a hallmark of our lasting success for more than a century. During the 1920’s, Family Service was a trailblazer as we encouraged and assisted five women on our staff to pursue college degrees. During the Great Depression and Dustbowl era of the 1930’s, Family Service collaborated to bring the first therapeutic counseling services to our county. We worked with area doctors and nurses to host the area’s first well-baby clinics for 25 years. With Chanute Air Force Base in the area, we helped families of deployed military personnel during WWII and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. They benefited from counseling, employment services, and a food pantry. We also offered homemaker and childcare services when the spouse of a deployed serviceman was ill. 

By the 1970’s, healthy adults were living longer and services for seniors were in demand. We responded by adding the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and all the services of our current Senior Resource Center. We added our Self-Help Center during the 1980’s (one of the first in the US) in response to research showing the efficacy of support groups. Children First classes joined Family Service in the 1990’s to help protect children’s interests when their parents separate and/or divorce. While we’ve provided Counseling services since the 1930’s, our program was Medicaid approved in 2019 and now we’re able to accept most Medicaid plans and serve more people.  

Communities are as dynamic as the people who live in them. Family Service has more than a century of experience adapting to the changing needs of people in Champaign County.