Celebrate milestones with MFRI, Center for Families

March 4, 2015  


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University’s Center for Families (CFF) and Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) will host an April 25 gala in Indianapolis to honor "Strong Families, Strong Communities" as well as their respective 20th and 15th anniversaries.

Gala registration is now open, as well as opportunities to sponsor and support the centers’ missions.

"We hope everyone will come and enjoy an evening of wonderful food and inspiring speakers," said Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, director of both organizations. "The gala is a chance for us to thank those who have worked diligently to serve families over the last 20 years and for those who support stronger families and communities to see what we are all about."

Founded in 1994 as part of Purdue’s Department of Human Development and Family Studies in the College of Health and Human Services, CFF is a reminder that families, in all of their diverse forms, are the foundation of society. Serving as a catalyst to integrate outreach, teaching and research activities that support families, the center continues to increase and enhance collaboration among academic disciplines, professionals, policymakers, corporations and community organizations. Examples of this include the Family Impact Seminars, Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award for Work-Family Research and MFRI.

CFF created MFRI in 2000 with funding from the Department of Defense. MFRI’s original mission was largely research-based, but it has expanded to include outreach, thanks in part to increased funding from the Department of Defense, and funding from Lilly Endowment Inc., Sesame Workshop and others.

Through collaborations and partnerships with high-level military and civilian organizations, MFRI works to make life better for service members, veterans and their families. It has worked with others to create resources such as Star Behavioral Health Providers, How to Help Military and Veteran Families, Passport Toward Success, and education and employment initiatives such as Operation Diploma. Through research and evaluative work, MFRI helps generate new knowledge about military and veteran family experiences and how the systems around them can better operate to improve their lives.

Both MFRI and CFF operate under the philosophy that working with other high-quality individuals and organizations brings the most substantial benefits.

"Collaborative partnerships increase the breadth and depth of each institute's impact," MacDermid Wadsworth said. "CFF and MFRI offer a way for Purdue faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends to bring about change focused on families. We are able to help families become more resilient by building relationships with collaborators around the country including federal agencies, state legislatures, employers and community organizations. We believe that, in turn, will create stronger communities." 

Contact: Beth Johnson, director of external relations, Purdue Military Family Research Institute, 703-927-7429,     bethjohnson@purdue.edu

Source: Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, 765-494-6026, shelley@purdue.edu 

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