About Us

The mission of Families Flourish is to create a more equitable community for families by empowering them to achieve and succeed through a holistic support initiative.

PROPEL

Families Flourish empowers families to address their total needs over a 3-year period, reversing historic barriers by fostering greater inclusivity, equality, opportunity and access to housing, education, and family wellness.

PROMOTE

Families Flourish helps communities embrace and create housing that is accessible to all. Parents are provided tools to improve life outcomes for themselves and their children through requisite programs. Life coaching focuses on financial literacy, life skills, job and career advancement, health and wellness, and access to quality education for children. Families are also provided tools to achieve financial capacity, housing stability and affordability through rent support.   

PROSPER

Families Flourish is about paving the way for success. Our results show 58%/$17,000 average increased income, 100+-point higher credit scores, health and wellness improvements, and kids thriving at grade level and above in their schools. At the end of the three years, families can access housing that fits their needs.

Why Do We Need Families Flourish?

By reversing historic barriers and fostering greater inclusivity, children, in even a few years before reaching age 13 can have positive long-term life outcomes.

31%

Higher Incomes in Early Adulthood

26%

Less Likely to be Teen Mothers and have a
70% Lower Risk of Severe Anxiety Disorders.

32%

More Likely to Attend College

$302,000

Higher Lifetime Earnings

*Chetty, R., Hendren, N., & Katz, L. F. (2016). The Effects of Exposure to Better Neighborhoods on Children: New Evidence from the Moving to Opportunity Experiment. American Economic Review, 106(4), 855–902

We pave the way for success, parents are provided tools to improve life outcomes for themselves and their children through participation in required programs and coaching, together with access to housing stability and affordability through rent support.

Why Do We Need Families Flourish?

From Our Social Media Feeds

Our September 2024 appearance at Columbus Metropolitan Club, featuring CMC CEO Sophia Fifner, CMC member Toni Bell, Flourish CEO Amy Klaben, Johns-Hopkins Dr. Craig Pollack, Hon. Michael B. Coleman, Westerville Mayor Kenneth Wright, Gahanna Council Chair Merisa Bowers, moderator Darci Congrove and a representative from Robert Weiler Cos.

Taping at ABC6 are board member James McDougal, CEO Amy Klaben and board member Keith Jones.

Flourish Director of Development & Communications Shiloh Todorov and ambassador Jo’el Jones pose at the Columbus Urban League luncheon step-and-repeat. Families Flourish was a sponsor of the event.

Left to right above, the evening featured opening remarks by Families Flourish board member Carl Faller, a welcome by ACLU of Ohio’s Raphael Davis-Williams (and not pictured, YWCA’s Liz Brown), Ohio Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve Stivers was a panelist with Upper Arlington Mayor Ukeme Awakessien Jeter, Flourish CEO Amy Klaben gave closing remarks, additional panelists Dr. Craig Pollack of Johns Hopkins and Brandy Rosel, a college student whose family completed the Families Flourish program; with Oakwood Management CEO and Flourish Board member Keith Jones serving as moderator.

Our Team

Amy Klaben

President & CEO

Tahtianna Alston

Social Services Manager

Portrait of Paige Bashaw
Paige Bashaw

Social Services Manager & Coach

Kathleen Fox

Building Inclusive Communities Coordinator & Landlord Outreach

Gabby Lane

Social Services Manager

Racheal Pack

Coordinator

Jamie Sager

Senior Program Director

Hilary Skunda

Administrative Assistant

Shiloh Todorov

Development & Communications Director

Paiton Walker

Donor Outreach Coordinator

Evaluation Team

Jason Reece, PhD

Project Evaluator

Rachel G. Kleit, PhD

Program Committee Chair

Jee Young Lee, PhD

Research Associate

Nicole Thomas, PhD

Evaluation and Design

Coaching Team

Leslie Bowman

Coach

Kerstin Carr

Coach

Lavesea Clardy

Coach

Susan Colbert

Coach

Dr. Tina Diggs

Coach, Be Intentional LLC

Daphne Dodson

Coach

Phree Finney-Durham

Coach

Kathy Horack

Coach

Bridgette Mariea

Coach

Bri Marshall

Coach

Rob Mullins

Coach

Christina Ratleff

Coach

Kim Rice Wilson

Coach

Karissa Sharp

Coach

Gina Smith

Coach

Dr. Kellie Van Pelt

Coach

Deirdre Ward

Coach

Kelly Williamson

Coach

Julia Wiseman

Coach

Natalie Zimmerman

Coach

Board of Directors

Alex Bates
The Union Bank Co
Keith Jones, Secretary
Oakwood Management Company
Debbie Manos-McHenry
Community Volunteer
Kim Campbell, Vice Chair
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Amy Klaben, President Co-Founder
Families Flourish
Bonnie Milenthal
The Milenthal Group
Carl Faller
Community Leader
Rachel Kleit, PhD
The Ohio State University
Cathy Presper
Community Volunteer
Lori Ann Feibel, Chair
Bexley City Council
Howard Levitin
Ohio Health Doctors Hospital
Jo Ann Quinif
Diamond Hill Capital Management
Brendan Foley, Treasurer
Community Volunteer
Bob Long
Vision 1 Real Estate Advisors
Joyce Salizzoni
Keybank
Kate Giller
Cutler Homes Realtor
Antoine Matthews
The Robert Weiler Company
Donna Wares
Huntington National Bank
Steve Heiser
SVN Wilson Commercial
James McDougal
KEMBA Financial Credit Union
Jim Wilson
Partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP
Hon. Terri Jamison
Judge, 10th District Court of Appeals
Se Se Yennes
Azurity Pharmaceuticals