Our History

Evolving from charitable organizations created by the Greensboro and High Point communities during and following World War II, Family Service of High Point and Family & Children’s Service of Greater Greensboro had as their mission to care for families under stress. Family Service of the Piedmont resulted from an affiliation of these two agencies in 1999.

Family Service of High Point (est. 1940)

Family Service of High Point was organized in 1940, following a needs assessment conducted by the High Point Junior League to survey community social welfare and health needs. The Family Service Bureau, as it was then named, was accepted as a new member agency of the High Point Community Chest, now the United Way of High Point, that same year.

1949Affiliated with the Family Service Association of America, known today as the Alliance for Children and Families.
1974Accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Services for Families and Children.
1979Agency began providing rape crisis and sexual assault programs.
1985The High Point battered women’s shelter which had been operating independently in High Point since 1979 was adopted as part of the organization.
1990In response to a rapidly increasing caseload of child victims, Hope House, a Children’s Advocacy Center was introduced. Hope House was the first accredited Children’s Advocacy Center in North Carolina.
1991 Following its pattern of strengthening the community through needs-based programming, Family Service of High Point expanded with a new division, Consumer Credit Counseling.

Family & Children’s Service of Greater Greensboro (est. 1945)

Family & Children’s Service of Greater Greensboro resulted from a study by the Junior League of Greensboro and the Council of Social Agencies. Largely through the League’s efforts, the Greensboro Community and War Chest, now the United Way of Greater Greensboro, approved a proposal on October 28, 1945, establishing the Family Services Agency.

1954A merger of the Family Services Agency and Traveler’s Aid, an organization that provided assistance to travelers in distress without regard to age, race, creed, class or sex, and without fee, occurred to streamline administration and efficiency.
1959Affiliated with the Family Service Association of America, known today as the Alliance for Children and Families.
1971Consumer Credit Counseling Services were added to assist families in financial difficulty.
1982Three previously separate agencies, Women’s Aid, Child Abuse Prevention Services, and the Rape Action, Prevention and Education Center, were consolidated into a comprehensive abuse prevention program and brought into the Family Services Agency as “Turning Point.”
1983The agency purchased a permanent home called Clara House for its shelter for women and their children who faced potentially life-threatening domestic situations.
1987Traveler’s Aid was taken over by the Salvation Army.

Family Service of the Piedmont

In order to expand and improve services to families and children in Guilford County, the Board of Directors of Family Service of High Point and Family & Children’s Service of Greater Greensboro made the commitment to merge in 1998. The affiliation of the two agencies became effective January 1, 1999. The founding agencies, Family Service of High Point and Family & Children’s Service of Greater Greensboro, evolved to become “Foundations” which now support the work of Family Service of the Piedmont through community-based fundraising and awareness activities.

2001Family Service moves into a permanent location at 315 East Washington Street in downtown Greensboro.
2005Harmony House opened to provide supervised visitation and custody exchange services dedicated to protecting children who are impacted by high conflict family dynamics.
2006The organization’s For Love of Family Award was renamed the Julia B. Nile For Love of Family Award in honor of the organization’s former President and Chief Executive Officer.
2007The agency began providing outpatient services to adults and adolescents with substance abuse issues.
2012An Integrated Care Program was created to provide physical health care services in addition to mental health care services for clients.
2015Washington Street Service Center renamed, Families First Center in honor of past, present and future staff.
2020High Point Center for Child Wellness opened to provide youth-focused psychiatric services.
2022Harmony House closes.

The agency is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3), United Way member-organization in both Greensboro and High Point that is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors selected from community leaders and is administered by a staff of professionals. Each year, it provides affordable, high quality services to over 17,300 families and individuals dealing with crises in their lives through its four impact areas: Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, Mental Health and Financial Stability.