 By Theresa Mabry Encompass Director of Operations As a marriage coach, I’ve seen firsthand how a healthy marriage can transform an entire family. When couples learn to communicate with empathy, manage stress as a team, and rebuild trust, their children notice—and they flourish. A secure marriage doesn’t just make life better for two people; it creates stability, confidence, and hope for the next generation.
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 Bob Suver and Lavern Nissley share a moment at the Encompass Connection Center 20th Anniversary event in the Fall of 2024 By Dr. David Marine Mabry Executive Director, Encompass Connection Center When we talk about partnerships that make a lasting difference, we often look downstream—at the outcomes, the stories, the families restored. But to understand the impact of Encompass Connection Center and the Clark County Department of Job and Family Services (DJFS), we have to go upstream.
That’s where Bob Suver started. As the former Executive Director of DJFS, Bob saw firsthand the heartbreak and complexity of families in crisis. Too often, the interventions available were reactive—addressing symptoms but not causes. “I found the tools the community had to deal with family disintegration were insufficient,” he shared. “We had to do something different.”  By Theresa Mabry Encompass Director of Operations Some partnerships are born from a single moment. Others grow over time—formed through shared values, vision, and trust. Our relationship with Choosing Hope Adoptions is one of the latter. It's a story of convergence, collaboration, and commitment to strengthening families from the inside out.
 By Kermit Rowe Encompass Relationship Facilitator The latest statistics are sobering but point to a largely unrecognized and unaddressed problem plaguing American families for decades. Fatherless homes are a contributing factor to 63% of teen suicides, 71% of high school dropouts, 83% of children with significant behavior issues, 85% of youth in jails/detention, and 90% of homeless and runaway children.
Clearly, there is a fathering crisis in our country … and it didn’t crop up overnight. Worse yet, it is growing larger by the year. The goal of the ministry of Encompass Connection Center (and Marriage Resource Center before it, from 2004-2018) is “Family Trees Forever Changed.” That just can’t be done without critical contributions from a Dad in the home, which is why the ECC and Urban Light Ministries have been connected since our humble beginnings.  By Abby Glaser Encompass Community Advocate At our core, the mission of Encompass has always been about helping people build and sustain healthy relationships. But often the folks that come through our office need a wider range of support than we can provide on our own. We know we can’t do this work alone! For over a decade, our partnership with Citilookout has been one of the strongest examples of what happens when organizations come together with a shared commitment to helping people heal, grow, and connect.
Citilookout, a counseling center, has served countless individuals, couples, and families in our community. Their counselors bring expertise across marriage and family therapy, trauma recovery, grief work, and more. As Janna Carrier, Citilookout’s Assistant Agency Director, shared, their goal has always been to serve people regardless of their ability to pay, particularly those on the margins who might otherwise slip through the cracks. Their focus on helping people navigate trauma and build healthier futures directly aligns with our own mission of fostering stronger relationships and a healthier community.  By Dr. David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director When you talk with Pastor Jeremy Hudson of Fellowship Church in Springfield, one thing becomes clear: this is a church deeply committed to its community. “We exist to impact our community—and through our community, the world,” he said. “The quality of life for someone in Springfield should go up simply because they share space with us.”
That’s not just a slogan. It’s a conviction that has shaped how Fellowship approaches everything from Sunday worship to weekday outreach. And for over two decades, that conviction has included a strong and growing partnership with Encompass Connection Center. What began as an early alliance back in the Marriage Resource Center days (the name of ECC from 2004-2018) has since evolved into something deeper—something that now models what’s possible when the Church and a trusted nonprofit move in tandem. “Encompass is the phone call we make when someone in our church is struggling,” Pastor Jeremy shared. “We don’t try to reinvent the wheel. They are an extension of our pastoral care.”  By Dr David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director As the confetti settles and the balloons drift away, we reflect on the remarkable journey of our 20th anniversary. Celebrating two decades of growth and impact, we now turn our eyes toward an even brighter future. Just as a long-lasting marriage evolves and strengthens, we believe the best days for Encompass Connection Center lie ahead.
 By Abby Glaser Encompass Community Advocate In preparation for the 20th Anniversary Celebration of Encompass on September 17, 3 pm at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, blog posts this month will focus on historical elements and highlights.
In today’s post I would like to talk about the impact of Encompass on the Springfield community! While I haven’t been here since the beginning, I have been here for almost 13 years! As the community advocate, I interact the most with the many other organizations we partner with in order to best serve the families I work with! |
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HostsDr. David Marine and Theresa Mabry are Co-Directors of Encompass since June 1, 2024. TOPICS
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Funding is provided by Clark County Job and Family Services, Charles L. Shor Foundation, Nehemiah Foundation, Springfield Foundation, Turner Foundation, and private donations and fees.
Program content is the sole responsibility of Encompass Connection Center and does not necessarily represent the views of the funders.
Encompass Connection Center services are provided to all eligible persons on a non-discriminatory basis. Encompass Connection Center complies with all applicable laws and regulations concerning discrimination does not discriminate on the basis of the potential participant's race, gender, gender orientation, age, disability or religion.
Registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 37-1485217
Program content is the sole responsibility of Encompass Connection Center and does not necessarily represent the views of the funders.
Encompass Connection Center services are provided to all eligible persons on a non-discriminatory basis. Encompass Connection Center complies with all applicable laws and regulations concerning discrimination does not discriminate on the basis of the potential participant's race, gender, gender orientation, age, disability or religion.
Registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 37-1485217