Hoyleton Youth and Family Services groundbreaking ceremony held
By Todd Marver
Hoyleton Youth and Family Services held a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, July 27 on a new residential campus for youth in foster care, and Governor JB Pritzker was one of the attendees.
The construction project will provide a new model of care for vulnerable youth in the foster care system. The new residential campus will allow youth, who are both developmentally and intellectually delayed and have experienced trauma, to heal and grow in a trauma-informed therapeutic environment. The facility, which will cost approximately $16 million, is being funded by state and federal grants as well as a capital campaign supported by both private and corporate donors.
Hoyleton Youth and Family Services has secured Impact Strategies as the design builder of the project. TWM Engineering and Hurford Architects were also utilized for the planning and design stage. Solar power and EV capabilities will be utilized throughout the new campus.
Plans for the new campus include six cottages, an administrative building and a small warehouse for equipment and storage. The layout of the campus will allow for a safe and secure outdoor space for recreational activities. Each cottage will be equipped with appropriate sensory space and lighting, private bedrooms and semi-private baths. This therapeutic environment coupled with expert trauma-informed care will allow disadvantaged foster youth, who have also experienced trauma, to shorten their time in the system so that they may be reunited with family, prepare to live in a traditional foster home with foster parents or successfully acquire necessary life skills so they can live independently when they age out of the foster care system.
Hoyleton Youth and Family Services is the largest service provider in southern Illinois for children in foster care who also suffer developmental and intellectual delays. Hoyleton Youth and Family Services has been part of the Hoyleton community for over 128 years. In 1895 the Zion Evangelical Church was deeded property and partnered with a newly formed Orphan’s Home Association to create Hoyleton’s Orphan’s Home in the building on campus that now functions as an administration building.
Governor JB Pritzker said they broke ground on a project that will make a tremendously positive impact on the lives of children who are most in need of their support and he’s really proud that they all gathered to get that accomplished. He gave a shout out to Hoyleton Youth and Family Services president/CEO Chris Cox for his dedication to this project.
“I want to recognize the caretakers and the staff who are with us today from this organization who really carry the load putting the hard work day in and day out for these young people who need our help supporting youth and giving them a safe harbor. Your work doesn’t go unnoticed and I want to offer my deepest gratitude to all of you,” he said.
Pritzker said it is crucial to partner with organizations like Hoyleton Youth and Family Services to provide the tools to grow and expand the excellent work they do. He said the groundbreaking means the new Hoyleton Youth and Family Services Residential Campus will give even more young people a place to grow, heal and learn in a trauma-informed and safe environment.
“These won’t be just beds, though people will talk about it that way. It’s more than that. We’re building homes specially designed to support the developmental and intellectual needs of children in residential care. Giving someone shelter is about more than just giving them a roof over their heads. It’s about giving them dignity and comfort and an opportunity for development in a safe place unburdened by concerns about their basic needs like a safe place to sleep at night,” he said.
Hoyleton Youth and Family Services Board Chair Ann Ferguson-Stephens said the groundbreaking ceremony represents a dream for so many, as well as a lot of hard work that began more than 128 years ago. She said serving disadvantaged foster use is their passion at Hoyleton Youth and Family Services, and they are a leader in the state of Illinois at providing expert care to youth who have experienced trauma in addition to their intellectual delays.
“We are very grateful that you could be with us as we embark on a generational opportunity to make a difference in the life of a child in care. Hoyleton’s mission is to enable all people to realize the wholeness of life that God intends,” she said.
Ferguson-Stephens said they believe their new campus provides them with the necessary equipment and environment and their expert trauma-informed care will help them achieve their goal and continue their mission for years and years to come.
“From the Hoyleton staff to our generous donors and the entire board, we are committed to building stronger communities, one child at a time,” she said.
Marc Smith, director of the Illinois Department of Family and Children Services, said in his initial role at DCFS, he met with Cox, the board and a local church.
“We talked about ‘what if we went down one or two paths?’ One path is we continue to neglect the facilities and agencies and residential treatment centers that care for our children. And the ‘what if’ down that path was closure. But the other path was ‘what if we funded, what if we rethought of and what if we reinvented the way we care about children.’ Chris and the board told me, ‘Well then we’ll break ground and keep growing.’ And I said ‘deal’. Four years later, we’re here. At the end of the day, we added capacity to care for kids who need to be cared for, loved and supported,” he said.
Monte Mister, Hoyleton Youth and Family Services Director of Residential Services, said the groundbreaking ceremony was a big deal and they have been planning for this for years and finally could have the ceremony. He said groundbreaking means more than literal breaking of ground.
“It represents us and the rich history of serving children and families since we were established in 1895 as Orphan’s Home. It represents September 27, 1903 when two wings were added to the home. It represents the chimney fire that destroyed the orphanage in 1915 which prompted the construction of a fireproof brick building in 1916, which is our administration building today. It represents our growth in 1960 as the children’s home became known as the residential program. It represents the dedication and service of our current and former employees and it represents our mission to enable all people, young and old alike, to realize the wholeness of life that God intends,” he said.
Mister said joint efforts and partnerships brought them to the groundbreaking ceremony. He said residential staff, Hoyleton Youth and Family Services administration and DCFS joined in a planning process to envision and shape the construction of a new campus.
“We had countless meetings with consultants to learn from their experiences. Then in true Hoyleton fashion, we met again to ensure everyone’s voice was heard. We learned from one another and we found a design that we are truly proud of,” he said.
Mister thanked many people.
“I want to thank Governor Pritzker and DCFS Director Marc Smith for their support and celebrating with us today. Thanks to all the families and agencies for entrusting us with their children. Thanks to our residential staff for the vital investment in the designing phase to envision a safe and welcoming home that all our kids can thrive in. Thanks to our donors, the UCC Church and the Hoyleton board for your unbelievable support. Thanks to Impact Strategies, TWM Engineering and Hurford Architects for their vision and expertise. I also wanted to give a special thanks to our president/CEO Chris Cox for his 34 years of service and dedication to the families we serve. His leadership and vision for our new campus has helped guide and shape which allows us to celebrate this historic construction project that will enable us to care for youth for 100 years,” he said.
Tron Young, Hoyleton Youth and Family Services Board Vice Chair, said this is not just ground and dirt they’re moving and it’s seeds they’re planting and love they’re giving.
“It’s care we are able to restore these youth to be the people that God has designed them to be. We want to thank you so very much because this is not the end of something. This is the beginning of a new chapter of love, care and hope from Hoyleton Youth and Family Services,” he said.
Pritzker photo captions: Governor JB Pritzker speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, July 27 at Hoyleton Youth and Family Services. Photo by Todd Marver
Washington County elected officials photo caption: From left, County Board chairman David Meyer, County Board member Gary Suedmeyer and Sheriff Ross Schultze attend the groundbreaking ceremony at Hoyleton Youth and Family Services on Thursday, July 27. Photo by Todd Marver
Groundbreaking photo caption: Officials break ground on a new residential campus at Hoyleton Youth and Family Services on Thursday, July 27. Photo by Todd Marver
Tron Young photo caption: Tron Young, Hoyleton Youth and Family Services Board Vice Chair, speaks at the Hoyleton Youth and Family Services groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, July 27. Photo by Todd Marver
Monte Mister photo caption: Monte Mister, Hoyleton Youth and Family Services director of residential services, speaks at the Hoyleton Youth and Family Services groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, July 27. Photo by Todd Marver
Marc Smith photo caption: Marc Smith, Illinois DCFS director, speaks at the Hoyleton Youth and Family Services groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, July 27. Photo by Todd Marver
Rendering photo: Pictured is a rendering of what the new Hoyleton Youth and Family Services facility will look like.
