Connections Count

Strong Connections, Effective Partnerships

Cornerstones of Care, a long-standing FFTA member organization, is a trauma-informed mental and behavioral health nonprofit providing evidence based prevention, intervention, treatment, and support services that help children and families achieve improved safety, stability, and well-being. Serving children and families across Missouri, Kansas, and beyond, the organization’s mission is to partner for safe and healthy communities, with a steadfast commitment to keeping children safe and families together.

Hundreds of miles away in Alberta, Canada, fellow FFTA Member organization McMan Youth, Family, and Community Services Association shares a similar commitment to helping children, youth, and families achieve their full potential through a wide range of community-based services. With the core values of Commitment, Trust, Empathy, Respect, and Genuineness at its core, McMan has been an intentionally impactful not-for-profit social service agency for the last four decades.

The mission of both organizations was recently demonstrated in a way that underscores the importance of strong connections, effective partnerships, and the role FFTA plays in supporting both.

Shelia Rancatore, Executive Director of Missouri Programs and Services at Cornerstones of Care and a member of the FFTA Board of Directors, received an inquiry from a state partner seeking connections to a social service agency in Canada. Several Missouri youth in foster care had a parent residing in Alberta, Canada, but navigating the process and identifying appropriate resources to complete a home study was presenting challenges.

Although Rancatore did not have direct contacts with Canadian agencies, she reached out to FFTA staff for assistance. FFTA Managing Director, Eric Giovanni, promptly responded, facilitating a direct email connection with leadership at McMan. Within two business days, the necessary partners were scheduling a virtual meeting to exchange information and determine the best path forward. “This experience demonstrates the power of relationships—and how FFTA membership transforms collaboration from an idea into meaningful action,” Rancatore shared.

Moments like these reflect FFTA’s mission of being the trusted resource, advocate, and connector that advances wellness for all families and communities. We connect our members to share knowledge and solutions, creating a stronger, more united community of support. And it is an honor to be a part of moments like this, where we can make a difference together.