Child and Family Charities Announces Merger of Child and Family Services of Michigan, INC, Operation Good Cheer
LANSING, MI. – Child and Family Charities, a nonprofit in Lansing, Michigan, announced today that Child and Family Services of Michigan, best known for their program Operation Good Cheer, will be joining Child and Family Charities. Child and Family Services of Michigan has been a nonprofit organization in the community for over 100 years, providing services to children and families in need of support. Most recently, the organization has focused their efforts on Operation Good Cheer, a program that provides holiday gifts for over 7,500 children in foster care in Michigan. This year, 2021, marks the 50th anniversary of Operation Good Cheer statewide. Child and Family Charities is thrilled to add this prestigious program to our numerous services that assist children, youth and families.
“We are grateful for this successful merger to take place. Child and Family Charities’ mission is to evolve and grow with the changing needs of our community. Operation Good Cheer increases our reach to serve all of Michigan. Child and Family Charities will provide Operation Good Cheer the support it deserves to expand services to children and youth throughout our state. With a rich history of working together, I believe this merger will allow us to continue to leverage strong support for our growing programs and services,” said Julie Thomasma, Ph. D., CEO of Child and Family Charities.
According to Sherry Brackenwagen, Administrative Director of Child and Family Services of Michigan, “Through the support we will receive from a larger organization like Child and Family Charities, I believe Operation Good Cheer can reach more children and youth in Michigan. Our vision for Operation Good Cheer is to see it grow to include additional support for children statewide. We appreciate the continued backing of our key stakeholders and others who understand the importance of our program and for putting their trust in us, bringing joy and hope to thousands of children every year. ”
Child and Family Charities is a local nonprofit organization with over 110 years of service in mid-Michigan offering child welfare, behavioral health, juvenile justice, residential, prevention, intervention, and advocacy programs for children, youth and families. We are excited to add Operation Good Cheer to our programs and services that include: Foster Care; Adoption Placement & Post Adoption Support Services; Independent Living; Mental Health Counseling, Substance Abuse Treatment, and Adolescent Assessment Services; Teen Court—a peer-guided diversion program for first-time youth offenders; T.E.A.M. Attendance—a truancy prevention outreach; Angel House—residential program for pregnant and parenting teens and their babies; Child Abuse Prevention Services (CAPS)—which provides respite child care, Medicaid outreach, and nutritional education; Gateway Youth Services—helping homeless and runaway youth.
For more information, go to the agency website at www.childandfamily.org or
call Demphna Krikorian at 517-816-9139.
Effective January 1, 2021 Child and Family Services of Michigan, Inc. no longer provides Post Adoption Services. 
Confidential Intermediaries are individuals with specific training in post-adoption services, and are appointed to conduct searches for former family members, or adult adoptees, on behalf of a petitioner.
An entirely volunteer Christmas gift-giving program, sponsored and coordinated by CFSM, Inc. State Office, began in 1971 by individuals who wanted to make a difference in the lives of children who reside in foster care.
