130 Stories. 130 Years.
Quick Critt Bit: In 1882, Charles Crittenton's daughter, Florence, was stricken with scarlet fever and, unfortunately, passed away. Mr. Crittenton vowed to help women and children experiencing homelessness and personal crisis with no other place to go.
Quick Critt Bit: In 1894 Dr. Agnes Eichelberger and Police Matron Thurston began organizing a home for homeless children in Sioux City.
Quick Critt Bit: In 1895, a property was purchased, a Board of Directors organized, and the Babies' Home Society was established. Years later, in 1904, The Society received its charter and became a member of the National Florence Crittenton Home Mission.
Quick Critt Bit: In 1906, Construction of the building located at 1105 28th Street in Sioux City was completed.
Quick Critt Bit: In 1914, services expanded to provide residential maternity care, labor/delivery services, and nurses training. These services eventually concluded in the 1950s.
Quick Critt Bit: 1972, Emergency Shelter services began for girls ages birth to 13. In 1979, shelter services expanded to include any child up to the age of 17.
Quick Critt Bit: In 1992, child care services first began at Stella Sanford Child Development Center (west location) on Geneva Street in Sioux City.
Quick Critt Bit: In 1997, the Youth Emergency Shelter opened on Green Avenue.
Quick Critt Bit: In 2000, our Family Resource Center began services by providing parenting education and supports, and maternal health education. Additionally, services through an independent living program for youth aging out of foster care was formed- today, this is known as Supervised Apartment Living (SAL).
Quick Critt Bit: In 2004, West High Infant Center opened to offer infant child care services.
Quick Critt Bit: In 2007, Crittenton began offering preschool services.
Quick Critt Bit: In 2021, in partnership with the Sanford Center, Crittenton Center opens another child care location in Morningside- Stella Sanford Child Development Center (east location).
Quick Critt Bit: In February, of 2021, Emergency Youth Shelter services ended due to staffing shortages caused by COVID-19.
Quick Critt Bit: In 2022, the Emergency Youth Shelter reopens as the Transitional Therapeutic Home with the bed capacity of 22. Crittenton Center also received the Regional Partnership Grant worth $3 million over 5 years to aid in the implementation of Trauma-Informed Care services at the shelter.
Quick Critt Bit: In 2023, Crittenton Center is accredited through the Council on Accreditation (COA). Crittenton also underwent a re-branding and logo change to better identify current services.
Quick Critt Bit: In 2024, Crittenton Center partnered with Le Mars to open a 218 slot licensed Child Development Center. Later that year, Crittenton partnered with Orange City to open a 329-licensed slot Child Development Center.
Quick Critt Bit: In 2024, we served 573 children in child care.
Quick Critt Bit: We provide parenting education and immediate resources such as formula, diapers, and car seats to families with young children.
Quick Critt Bit: Crittenton Center operates 6 child care locations across three different counties- Sioux City, Le Mars, and Orange City.
Quick Critt Bit: We served 199 families in the Family Resource Center in 2024.
Quick Critt Bit: We offer preschool at 5 locations, and served 137 kids in the 2024/2025 school year.
Quick Critt Bit: We currently have 16 members on our Board of Directors representing a wide variety of professional experience; areas such as- finance, law, education, real estate, wealth management, freelance, human resources, and community activism/volunteer work.