Press Releases

Effingham, Ill. (July 21, 2026) Rebecca was born into addiction. Having watched her mother suffer from it, Rebecca did not know anything other than the environment she grew up in. Eventually succumbing to the same addiction, Rebecca’s three kids were taken away from her and placed into foster care. That’s when she knew she needed […]

Belleville, Ill. (July 14, 2026) Caritas Family Solutions will celebrate Caritas Day on July 30, with its fourth annual 24-hour giving campaign to raise funds and awareness for children, families and individuals in need. Throughout the day, community sponsors will match every dollar donated with an additional $3, quadrupling the impact of each gift. The

Belleville, Ill. (June 23, 2026) Mary Savage, Director of Licensing at Caritas Family Solutions, recently celebrated 35 years of service dedicated to helping children find safe, loving homes and empowering foster families to make a lasting difference in their lives. Savage began her work in child welfare in 1990 and joined Caritas 15 years ago.

Belleville, Ill. (June 9, 2026) Caritas Family Solutions has been named the 12th largest nonprofit in the St. Louis region for 2026, based on its 2025 fiscal year operating budget of $52 million. The ranking was published in the St. Louis Business Journal. Previously ranked 15th in 2024 and 13th in 2025, the human services

Effingham, Ill. (June 3, 2026) Caritas Family Solutions is proud to announce it has been chosen by the community to receive the inaugural “Imprint of Hope” Award presented by Crisis Nursery of Effingham County. This award recognizes Caritas’ mission to strengthen families and protect children throughout the region. A meaningful spinoff of the organization’s Children’s

Belleville, IL (May 5, 2026) Caritas Family Solutions is proud to announce its CEO, Gary Huelsmann, has been nominated as a Community Changemaker for the 29th annual What’s Right with the Region Awards, led by FOCUS St. Louis. This award recognizes individuals leading and inspiring change in their organization, community and region. FOCUS St. Louis

Belleville, Illinois (March 10, 2026) A familiar face and trusted leader will step into the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer at Caritas Family Solutions. Erin Hamilton, who has been working for the nonprofit for three years as the Executive Director of People and Culture, is looking forward to making an impact in the

Belleville, Ill. (February 24, 2026) Caritas Family Solutions is expanding its mission to help children and families across the region thrive with the launch of its new Office of Community Connection (OCC) program. This initiative focuses on prevention and connects families with critical resources and support services before challenges become emergencies. The OCC program offers

Belleville, Ill. (February 3, 2026) Caritas Family Solutions is proud to announce the opening of its Community Youth Shelter, a groundbreaking program providing short-term stabilization and support for youth in Southern Illinois. Funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS), this is the first program of its kind in the region, offering a new

Belleville, Illinois (January 28, 2026) Caritas Family Solutions is proud to announce the promotion of Ashlee Lambert to Chief Development Officer, recognizing her exceptional leadership, deep institutional knowledge, and longstanding commitment to advancing the organization’s mission of serving individuals and families in crisis. Lambert has been part of the Caritas Family Solutions team for the