Since 2003, Family Service Centers, Inc. has been led by President & CEO Mary Jo Monahan, LCSW.
As a child welfare project adopted by the Junior League of St. Petersburg in 1938, the then-named “Children's Service Bureau" began offering professional counseling services to assist 63 dependent, neglected, or delinquent children in its first year. As the needs of the community changed, services expanded to include children and their families struggling with poverty, stress, poor parenting skills and the effects of family violence.
During the 1950’s, service expansion included assistance to unmarried mothers, counseling for families, and foster homes for children with special needs. The renamed “Family and Children’s Services” appointed Wesley W. Jenkins as Executive Director and strengthened its long association with other community organizations. In 1959 the Wesley W. Jenkins Community Resource Center opened its doors in St. Petersburg. During the turbulent sixties and seventies, prevention strategies were introduced through creation of the Family Life Education program. Tremendous growth characterized the 1980’s with seven new programs, including Sexual Assault Services and Juvenile Sex Offender treatment. The agency’s identity continued to evolve with another name change, Family Service Centers of Pinellas County, Inc.
Today, Family Service Centers, Inc. (FSC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency with a history surpassing 70 years of commitment to vulnerable individuals. Financed through multiple contracts with state and local funders, private corporations, individual donations, and fees, FSC employs more than 125 full- and part-time staff who serve approximately 22,000 adults, children and youth annually at the Wesley W. Jenkins Community Resource Center in mid-town St. Petersburg, the SAFE Center in Clearwater, a downtown Clearwater satellite office, and in clients’ homes. Volunteers also play key roles in various programs, administration, and fundraising projects including special events, and the critical operation of our 24-Hour Rape Crisis Hotline. Over 150 volunteers provide essential support exceeding 6,000 hours annually. FSC’s Board of Directors and sub-committee members also reflect a diverse group of volunteer leaders from such industries as banking, education, medical, legal services, politics, social services and more.
Fully accredited through 2011 by the Council on Accreditation for Children & Families, FSC has also earned A.S.S.E.T. accreditation by the JWB Children’s Services Council of Pinellas County and is a member of the national Alliance for Children & Families. Since 2000, eight FSC staff have been quarterly recipients of the prestigious Cooperman-Bogue Award presented by JWB, which recognizes outstanding human service workers in Pinellas County. Three have gone on to receive the annual Cooperman-Bogue Award. In May 2007, the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce named FSC the Pinellas County “Outstanding Non-Profit Business of the Year” for its exemplary community service to children and families. More recently, FSC was selected as a finalist for the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2008 Non-Profit of the Year Award. This is a testament to the resiliency, relevance, and recognition of our 70+ years of dedicated service!