Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson traveled to Wabash on Aug. 12, 2015 to award White’s Residential & Family Services with the Century Certificate.

The certificate celebrates the more than 100 years of White’s service and care to children and families. The event was attended by many guests who watched Lawson bestow the award.

Since its founding, the nonprofit has grown to become one of Indiana’s largest nonprofit social services agencies. It has seven offices around the state, including residential campuses in Wabash and Wheatfield, Ind. About 1,100 children and families are served by White’s every year.

“Josiah White, founded and drafted a plan for White’s in 1850 to help ‘the most deserted of children’,” said Eric Dale, board president. “White’s Residential & Family Services is still operating with that mission in mind today.”

White’s has been serving children, teens and families for more than 160 years. It provides care to families in crisis, in transition and in need of support through its accredited and comprehensive continuum of services including community- and home-based services, foster care, adoption support and residential treatment programs.

“We are honored to be awarded with this certificate today,” said Dee Gibson, White’s CEO. “We are blessed to help redirect, rebuild and restore the lives of the children, teens and families we serve and it is for them that we accept this award today.”

The event took place at the Hodson Campus Center, which sits on 800 acres of land within White’s Wabash campus. Lawson met with the residential students on campus and shared information with the teens about her financial literacy program.

“Institutions like White’s are crucial to communities throughout Indiana. They provide the stability and care needed for our children and teens to grow and reach their potential,” said Lawson. “I am pleased to give White’s this certificate today and hope that they continue to serve children and their families for another 100 years and beyond.”