Foundation for Family Life Framework
Vision
Successful individuals & families experiencing relationship harmony & growth through life’s joys & challenges.
Purpose
To help families & individuals learn, practice, & commit to healthy communication, effective parenting, enriched relationship skills, & lasting recovery.
Mission
To empower individuals & families to improve their lives through quality programs & services.
Values
- Family: We honor parents & believe families have an eternal impact on individual development & progress
- Relationships: We believe we have a stewardship in promoting love, joy, hope, & harmony in our relationships
- Individual: We believe each soul has worth, agency, & the ability to find purpose
- Education: We believe education enhances meaning, problem solving, relationship development, & prosperity
- Service: We believe there is a healing power & growth that comes through serving others
- Spirituality: We believe spirituality undergirds healthy families, self-worth, & individual purpose.
Goals
- Promote Family Life Center services for the community
- Host engaging Family Life Conferences for academics, professionals, practitioners, & community members
- Maintain MentorWorks Healthy Transition Home services for those transitioning from incarceration
- Provide exceptional addiction recovery treatment through Redwood Recovery
- Promote principles of spirituality, self-reliance, self-worth, & healthy relationships through all FFL activities.
Founder’s Story
The Foundation for Family Life was created in 2010 by Dr. Joseph White to promote healthy family and individual life experiences. The full FFL mission, vision, purpose, etc. is denoted above. Below is an interview Dr. White was invited to participate in about parenting (2018) followed by a fatherhood video he directed as part of the Sioux Falls Fatherhood Initiative (2003) He shares one of his more precious moments as a father when he and one of his daughters participated in their very first Daddy-Daughter Dance! His biosketch is included after that. The Board of Directors for the Foundation for Family Life are listed at the bottom of the page.
Inspired Parenting
Dr. White share his insights into “Inspired Parenting Across the Life Course” (video & audio available). Parenting is an incredibly important responsibility requiring ongoing introspection and inspiration. How can parents help children navigate challenges, tempests, and storms as they grow and mature across life? Seeking the Lord’s help, a spouse’s insight, and effective communication styles makes all the difference in the long run. Discussion of three models provides keys to strengthening parenting skills and experiences.
Inspired Parenting Across the Life Course (Audio Only)
Fatherhood
Daddy-Daughter Dance (2010)
Dr. White’s Biosketch
Dr. Joseph White has worked in the prevention sciences field for over two decades. His work has focused on substance abuse prevention, responsible fatherhood, psychosocial development, and risk prevention programs and strategies for adolescents and adults. He is president of the Foundation for Family Life and has developed the following programs and services for improving family life: The Family Life Center provides a variety of family services to the local community that include counseling, family life coaching, parenting classes, and other family fun activities. Redwood Recovery is an Intensive Outpatient Program for substance abuse recovery. MentorWorks is a program providing Healthy Transition Homes for those trying to change their course in life, especially with respect to developing a sober life style. The Family Life Conference provides a forum for family scholars, practitioners, and the community to share ideas and insights into what works best in supporting and creating healthy family life.
Dr. White previously served as vice president of the Institute for Research and Evaluation. Prior to that he was a professor in Human Development and Family Studies for 10 years at South Dakota State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He earned his Ph.D. from Texas Tech University in 1997, co-founded the Dakota Fatherhood Initiative, co-authored the book Why Fathers Count, and has designed, developed, and implemented fatherhood programs in a variety of settings. He also worked with Dakota and Lakota tribes throughout Indian country to develop a culturally-specific, family-oriented alcohol, drug, and suicide prevention program called Takoja Niwiciyape: Giving Life to the Grandchildren (Dakota pronunciation for the first 2 words of the title is: Tah-ko’ zha Nee-wee’ chee-yah-pai, with emphasis on the second syllable-with the accent mark after it).
Joseph and Alice, his wife, have been married for over 32 years and are blessed with 8 children and 4 grandchildren.
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Clay Neves
Board Chair
Joseph White
Vice Chair
Cliff Harman
Past Board Chair
Kelsey Green
Secretary / Treasurer
Board Members
Dustin Caldwell
Chief Technology Officer
Natasha Dansie
Family Life Consultant
Keith Denning
Business Consultant
Kevin Green
Family Life Professional
Bryan Merrell
Financial Wellness
Mark Pepper
Clinical Consultant
Parker Syphus
Business Consultant
Jeff Teichert
Legal Support
Cathy Butler
Family Life Coach
Zachary Bloomer
Legal Support
