This year, Family Service is celebrating 110 years of

service to the Roanoke Valley.

For 110 years, Family Service has been a resource to local families — regardless of their ability to pay for services.

For 110 years, Family Service has developed innovative programs to address the needs of children, families and older adults — programs which today have been copied and duplicated across the state and beyond.

For 110 years, Family Service has worked with all segments of the community — public, private, churches and businesses — to nurture a network of caring that makes the Roanoke Valley an unparalleled place to live, work and raise families.

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Family Service of Roanoke Valley would like to thank everyone who attended our 110 Anniversary Celebration on November 3, 2011 at the Patrick Henry Ballroom. It was an honor to celebrate this milestone event with so many in the community!

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We are proud of our accomplishments and excited about what we will accomplish in the future. Below are a few highlights in the history of Family Service of Roanoke Valley:

Founded in 1901 as the Charity Organization Society, the agency soon became known as Associated Charities. It was the first social work agency in the city.

In 1929, the agency expanded its mission, developed a new structure, and changed its name to the Family Welfare Society. There

were no public welfare departments during that time and the Family Welfare Society served in that capacity for Roanoke City.

In 1938, the agency amended its charter and renamed itself the Family Service Association with a focus on the prevention of “child delinquency” and was licensed by the State as a foster care agency — providing that service until 1965.

In 1954, a Legal Aid service was started. The success of this program enabled it to become a separate agency (now known as the Legal Aid Society) in 1967.

In 1966, the agency merged with the local Traveler’s Aid Agency and became known as the Family Service — Traveler’s Aid Association of the Roanoke Valley, Inc. In the same year, Family Service worked with Total Action Against Poverty (TAP) to obtain federal funding with the vision of beginning a Homemaker program-the first in the state of Virginia.

The agency continued to grow and achieved national accredited status — serving as a leader in the national transition from the soci

al casework approach to service delivery to what is now known as Clinical Social Work.

In 1984, the Family Service Fund was established to begin building a permanent endowment to support the
agency’s operations and the agency’s name was changed to Family Service of Roanoke Valley.

In 1985, Family Service worked with local courts to begin a Domestic Violence Treatment Program and began offering Employee Assistance services to local employers.

In 1990, a treatment program for victims of child abuse was begun. In 1996, Family Service assumed operation of the Teen Outreach Program.

In 1998, Family Service operations expanded to include a Franklin County office in Rocky Mount.

In 1999, a capital campaign was launched to raise money to renovate the former C&P Telephone building on Campbell Avenue. The campaign reached its $1 Million goal and the agency relocated to the new space in 2001— just in time to celebrate its 100th anniversary!

In 2001, Family Service became the lead agency in Southwest Virginia for Global Youth Service Day.

Click here to watch our 110th Anniversary video