The history of Lampion Center, formerly Family and Children Services, began auspiciously in 1885 when a group of 26 passionate women formed a small organization to aid the needy Civil War veterans and their families in Evansville. The needs have changed quite a bit since those days, but the passion to reach out to a hurting community is still as strong as it was 125 years ago. Words from the original mission sound similar to the mission of our work today: Help protection, needful aid, comfort, loving service, community, and equal rights. Our core values continue to keep up focused and motivated to go to great lengths to help everyone who needs our services. Our mission statement “Empowering individuals, children, and families: lighting their path to stability and hope through counseling, adoption services, and community outreach.” guide and direct us daily. We know that making a difference in the lives of people in our community can, and should go well beyond helping them through the issues of the day. It means collaboration and involvement on a myriad of forward-thinking community task forces. It includes outreach to at-risk populations such as children who are struggling from child sexual abuse.