OUR STORY

Spearheaded primarily through the efforts of the Focus 2000 Children, Youth and Families Initiative, the Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center (LCNFC) was born out of concern that many Columbus residents’ needs were not being met. Issues typically thought of as “big city” problems – i.e. poverty, domestic violence, drug addiction, homelessness, etc. – routinely plagued far too many of Columbus’ downtown residents.

The LCNFC representing one of the largest “grassroots movements” ever to take place in Bartholomew County opened its doors in 1994 serving Columbus, Indiana’s downtown district, Census Tract 101, henceforth known as the Lincoln-Central Neighborhood. The Center’s first home, Lincoln Elementary School, helped jump-start an ambitious LCNFC programming component that included summer and after-school programming for youth and regular family activities. During this time, our neighbors voices were heard loud and clear! True neighborhood leadership was identified! This fine group of folks partnered with human service providers and community professionals to form the Neighborhood-Based Planning Team.

It was this group’s charge to determine what neighborhood residents wanted the LCNFC to become. Through a comprehensive needs assessment, neighborhood residents identified seven priority areas of concern for the Lincoln-Central Neighborhood: Health, Education, Positive Youth Development, Parent-Child Interaction, Parent Support, Safety and Infrastructure. In response to these needs, the LCNFC, through its numerous partners, built a programming model that centers around these seven priorities.

Upon completion of personal and professional trainings and the development of by-laws, policies and procedures, the Neighborhood-Based Planning Team evolved into the LCNFC Board of Directors. One critical by-law, which in many respects defines the philosophy of the LCNFC, is that a minimum of 60 percent of the Board’s composition will be held by residents of the Lincoln-Central Neighborhood. This assures that residents will always have the final say on critical decisions.

Thanks to generous contributions from The Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, The Wylie Foundation and the City of Columbus, the LCNFC moved into our current home at 1039 Sycamore Street in the heart of the area in which we serve. The generosity of the aforementioned groups has afforded the LCNFC the luxury of dealing with residents in their own backyards. Additionally, we remain grateful to Irwin Union Bank, who provided a beautiful, rent-free facility for more than two years during our transition to Sycamore Street.

Through the years, five core components continue to be the backbone of the LCNFC’s programming philosophy – advocacy , neighborhood improvement , human services , people empowerment and collaboration. The LCNFC’s deep rooted heritage of empowerment, involving those most affected by our decisions, and our one-stop shop concept affords the LCNFC staff, Board and volunteers a visionary approach to service delivery and case management.

As the LCNFC continues to grow in its scope and magnitude, the issues facing residents in Columbus’ downtown community remain constant and, at times, overwhelming. The Board’s mission remains strong in its desire to help resolve the struggles of our neighbors. We eagerly look forward to the future, a brighter future for all of our children, youth and adults.

The LCNFC is proud to be a Certified United Way Agency.