Merging Missions: Crisis Center and Success 4 Kids & Families Join Forces to Amplify Impact

In a strategic move to enhance their collective impact, two prominent Tampa Bay area nonprofits, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and Success 4 Kids & Families, have announced plans to merge operations. The merger, set to take effect on January 1, 2025, will see Success 4 Kids & Families become a division of the Crisis Center, with the latter's President and CEO, Clara Reynolds, leading the combined organization.

Uniting Strengths to Serve Families in Need

Leveraging Expertise and Infrastructure

The merger comes at a pivotal time, as the leadership of Success 4 Kids & Families, including its current Executive Director, Pam Jeffre, prepares for retirement. This transition presented the organization's board of directors with an opportunity to reevaluate the best path forward to serve the children and families in their care. After careful consideration, they determined that aligning with the Crisis Center, an established and respected nonprofit with a similar mission and cultural values, would be the most effective way to continue and expand their vital work.The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, with over 50 years of experience in the region and an annual budget of million, brings a robust infrastructure and a diverse range of services to the table. These include a telephone contact center that answers crisis and community information lines, trauma counseling, medical transportation, and the operation of Hillsborough County's certified rape crisis center. By integrating Success 4 Kids & Families into this established framework, the merged organization will be able to streamline operations and enhance its capacity to serve families in need.

Amplifying the Reach and Impact

Clara Reynolds, who has served as the first executive director of Success 4 Kids & Families and is now the President and CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, is excited about the opportunities this merger presents. She believes that the combined resources and expertise will allow the organization to expand its programs and better address the growing demand for children's mental health services in the region."Children's mental health has really seen a renaissance post-Covid," Reynolds explains. "The pandemic has highlighted the struggles that kids and families have faced with behavioral health issues for a long time, and the stigma and stereotypes around seeking help have been reduced. More individuals are now realizing that behavioral health is a real and pressing concern."With the Crisis Center's infrastructure and resources, the merged organization will be better positioned to leverage state, county, and federal funding opportunities to support and grow its programs. This will enable the team to reach more families and provide them with the comprehensive services they need to address their behavioral, emotional, and mental health challenges.

Ensuring Continuity of Care

The merger will be a seamless transition for the clients and staff of Success 4 Kids & Families. All employees will become Crisis Center employees, retaining their existing roles and functions, ensuring that they can continue working with their established clients without disruption.In the meantime, both nonprofits are operating as usual, maintaining their regular operations and continuing to accept referrals. This smooth transition will allow the merged organization to hit the ground running, building on the strong foundations laid by both entities and expanding their reach to serve even more individuals and families in the Tampa Bay area.