Caritas Family Solutions’ Mary Savage celebrates 35 years of service
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. She quickly found a supportive workplace that shared her passion for serving others, and credits Caritas’ staff, foster parents and commitment to children for inspiring her throughout her career.
“I felt welcomed with open arms on my very first day at Caritas,” said Savage. “I’ve been privileged to work alongside inspiring leaders, coworkers and foster parents who share a genuine passion for making a difference in the lives of children and families. That passion and dedication continues to motivate me every day.”
Some of Savage’s most meaningful memories stem from the lasting relationships she has built throughout her career. Two of the first foster families she licensed more than 30 years ago continue to foster children today, and one child who grew up in a foster home she licensed has since become a foster parent herself.
“Watching the growth of children and families over the years has been really special,” Savage said. “I’ve seen foster parents go above and beyond to support reunification and maintain connections with birth families, doing anything and everything to help their foster children feel loved and supported. Those are the moments that have kept me going for 35 years.”
One of her proudest accomplishments is helping establish the Foster Parent Support program. These specialists, many of whom are current or former foster parents, provide guidance and encouragement to foster families navigating challenges and celebrating successes.
“For decades, Mary has been a passionate advocate for children, a trusted mentor to her team and a champion for hundreds of foster families,” said Caritas Chief Development Officer Ashlee Lambert. “Her leadership, compassion and commitment have strengthened our organization and helped create brighter futures for
countless children. We are grateful for her extraordinary service and the legacy she continues to build.”
Looking ahead, Savage hopes child welfare continues moving toward prevention and early intervention, reducing the need for foster care whenever possible.
“My hope is that one day there is less or even no need for foster care because families receive the support they need before they reach a crisis,” Savage said. “I’ve seen the child welfare system evolve to focus more on prevention, strengthening families and creating stability for children, and that gives me hope for the future.”
About Caritas Family Solutions
Founded in 1947, Caritas Family Solutions is a nonprofit social service agency whose mission is to strengthen the social and emotional well-being of individuals and families in order to create healthy relationships, loving homes, and strong communities. Services include adoption, foster care, pregnancy care, Intact Family Services, residential treatment for children healing from abuse and/or neglect as well as a youth emergency shelter. Caritas also offers behavioral health services including substance use treatment, professional counseling, independent living and employment services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and mental health housing and supportive services. Caritas serves more than 6,500 individuals annually across southern Illinois from offices located in Belleville, Carterville, Mount Vernon, Waterloo, Olney, Glen Carbon, Alton, and Effingham, as well as satellite locations in Highland and Sparta. For more information, visit www.caritasfamilysolutions.org.
