Originally founded in 1929 by Grace Bauer, Tippecanoe County’s first probation officer, Bauer Family Services began as a series of activities Grace would organize as a way of preventing young people from getting into trouble. Overtime, we have grown our programs to encompass all children and families in a nine-county area in West Central Indiana.

At Bauer, we believe that well-being is built. Just as a building’s construction is dependent on different people with varying skills working together, people’s well-being is not solely their own making. It depends on what others do and the resources available to them. Perhaps most importantly, a sound building begins with a strong foundation. Instilling the tools necessary to create that foundation and providing support to maintain well-being is at the basis of everything we do.

Our mission of building hopeful futures is at the heart of every program and service offered to our community. It is our belief that every child and family has a desire for a life that is filled with genuine success, strong family ties, positive community connections and hope for tomorrow. Everything we do at Bauer revolves around the goal of bettering the lives of everyone we come across, and doing it together.

Bauer uses the following guiding principles to guide the work of the organization:

• We believe empowered families are central to a child's development; therefore, we will provide support, resources, and advocacy where and when it is needed.

• We value producing positive outcomes for our community; therefore, we are on a journey to constantly enhance our work.

• We value integrity; therefore, we will continuously choose to do the right thing even when it is not the easiest option.

• We believe we cannot do this work alone; therefore, we seek to leverage and deepen opportunities and partnerships to meet the needs of the children and families we support.

Bauer Family Resources receives a variety of federal, state, and local funds to carry out our work, as well as the support of many private donors who give their time, talent, and treasure.

This foundation provides us with the ability to serve more than 10,000 children and families in a  nine-county area in West Central Indiana. 95% of these families are living at or below the federal poverty level. Our staff responds to the individual needs of each of those we work with.