Family Service - Holmes

Working with Family Service Lincoln was a blessing for me at a time when I needed it most. The application was surprisingly easy, and my case was handled with proficiency, urgency, empathy, compassion and professionalism! Deb Threats treated me like a person.. and not just like another case... She explained the process, offered resources and responded to all my calls and emails in a timely manner. I wouldn't hesitate to reach out to this organization again if I needed to..... Thanks for making everything go smoothly Deb! You were amazing! 💯 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I would like to share my experience as a longtime CACFP childcare food program participant. I began with Family Services in 2008 as a licensed provider and worked with Sherryl G. Sherryl was AMAZING and the ONLY reason this review received 3 stars instead of just 1 (one)! The entire time I have been operating a family childcare program I have worked with Family Services as my food program sponsor. Until Sherryl retired this experience had been nothing but positive. After Sherryl's departure, FS has had an extremely difficult time maintaining a consistent monitor within this position in Central Nebraska. As a former early childhood educational coach, I have been privy (more than most providers) to understand how there are many moving parts for each of these programs and how sometimes providers aren't always favorable to having people coming into their homes and observing their programs and practices. I have always strived to be inviting and welcoming to any agency coming into my childcare program. Until I left the food program in March I had been a strong advocate for the CACFP program and specifically Family Services. I left in March due to repercussions I experienced for simply asking why I was receiving visits so close together. We are to receive 3 visits per year, 2 unannounced and 1 announced. For as long as I had been participating in the food program these visits had always been roughly 3 1/2- 4 1/2 months apart. I received a visit on 9/7/23, another 3 months later on 12/7/23, and I was contacted about a visit for 2/27/24- essentially 2 1/2 months after the last visit, or my 3rd visit within less than 6 months. I asked the monitor why my visits were so close together. She did not answer, but instead sent me a text message (which I still have) to cancel the visit after I had collected the documentation I needed. Fast forward approximately a week and a half. All of my parents were sent postcards to verify their attendance for February. I then called and spoke with Jenny W. I had hoped that she and I could have a reasonable conversation about the situation. I asked very candidly if they suspected I had done something improper with my documentation and if this was why I had received so many visits AND postcard follow-ups. She was curt and dismissive, particularly when I shared the frustration I and other providers had about the rapid turnover in our area. I requested to be released from my 'contract' which is set to expire at the end of November and she told me that she would have to process that through NDE and that it was not (or she would not allow it to be) possible. Then a week after that conversation every one of my families received a phone call about their attendance for January. At that point, I felt I was being blatantly harassed by Jenny and this organization and made the decision to leave the program, despite knowing that for 9 months I would not receive any additional monthly funds to help with the food costs for 12 children, 5 days a week, for each week of those 9 months. I know that the food program representatives will state, "You will be able to deduct it on your taxes." However, what they fail to comprehend is that grocery prices are extremely high and I run a quality program at a reasonable price for the families I work with. Our economy does not work without childcare, and the Family Services Childcare food program employees do not have employment without childcare and childcare professionals. We are your customer base and I have never been anything but respectful and was treated with not only disrespect but was 'punished' by asking simple questions (that I had a right to ask). These individuals chose to not respond to me with civilized and respectful dialogue but instead used their position of power to intimidate. I have contemplated sharing this review for some time now. I do not know if anyone will bother to read this or reach out. However, I PRAY this never happens to another provider. This was not only an abuse of power but frankly should have never happened.

Had called ahead of time to make sure there would be someone there to be able to make my payment. After arriving, I had to wait at the front desk for 10 mins or so for someone to come see if I had been helped yet, then another 10-15 minutes before i could get the payment made. I was a little disappointed by this.

received case management through family services and it was a nightmare, i almost lost my housing because they didn’t do their job right, which in the end cost them thousands of dollars to cover up their mistake and they don’t really seem to care about their clients..very unethical company i would never want to be a client of theirs again.

The Family Service after school program is great, until it isn’t. If your child has any issues or is bullied or physically picked on by other kids, the staff has no idea how to handle it. We raised issues with our child several times and every time a course of action was agreed to, then ignored. LPS promotes FS, but then refuses to get involved even though this is in their buildings. Dennis, who oversees all of FS refuses to meet with parents. They responded to our concerns by kicking our son out of FS. This turned out great because he’s been in an alternate after school program for two years with no issues or incidents.