Bellewood, Brooklawn plan to join forces to better serve children, families in need

Two of Kentucky’s most trusted non-profit agencies are working together on a plan to provide more comprehensive care for the state’s most vulnerable children and their families.

Bellewood Home for Children and Brooklawn Child and Family Services, each with more than 160 years of dedicated service, are pursuing a potential merger to become Kentucky’s most comprehensive child welfare agency, serving hundreds of abused, neglected and homeless children and their families across the Commonwealth.

The boards of both agencies voted earlier this month to move forward with plans to merge and begin the final due diligence process to formalize the union. Bellewood and Brooklawn, which each have main campuses in Louisville, serve children and families in need through much of Kentucky.

“Combining the resources of the two non-profits into one will create a united agency with a comprehensive continuum of care for children,” said Bruce Ferguson, chairman of Brooklawn’s board.

“We believe that joining together will help reduce the disruption in the lives of foster youth resulting from multiple placements with families and agencies across the state,” said Reed Farley, chairman of Bellewood’s board. “Our two organizations are built on faith and love – and we will continue that tradition as we help raise more of Kentucky’s kids.”

The chairmen of the two boards are leading the final due diligence process. Mary Kate Poling, President and CEO of Brooklawn, and Brad Williamson, Senior Vice President of Administration and CFO at Bellewood and the agency’s interim CEO, are heading the combined leadership teams working on plans for a successful transition. Poling is slated to lead the merged agency as President and CEO and Williamson as Chief Financial Officer.

Bellewood and Brooklawn are taking a proactive approach to today’s economic realities of declining funding and increasing need for services with a plan to combine the resources and strengths of the two agencies. The merged agency would become a more efficient provider of high-quality direct services to children and families.

During the due diligence process, Bellewood and Brooklawn will work together to resolve issues, make decisions and prepare for the transition. After talking with supporters, partners, children and families, the two agencies plan to take final action on a merger proposal later this year.