#MergerMondays: Merger as a Growth Strategy for Wayfinder Family Services

I often make the case that collaboration can work at every stage of the organizational lifecycle. When mature organizations  - those that have been around for 70 years - need to evolve their programmatic work, looking to collaborate with others can be a viable option. 

Throughout its 70 year history, Wayfinder Family Services has transitioned from The Foundation for the Junior Blind, an organization designed to help visually impaired children participate in recreational activities, to Wayfinder in 2018, helping children, youth and families who face a variety of challenges.

Wayfinder is an example of how multiple mergers have helped build out a mission. What originally started as The Foundation for the Junior Blind first explored mergers in 2013, when the Hatlen Center for the Blind in Northern California joined Junior Blind as an adult residential rehabilitation program. Again in 2014, when the Blind Babies Foundation in Northern California merged with Junior Blind, bringing their expertise to the development of a new early intervention program. In 2017, when Concept 7, a foster family and adoption agency, joined Junior blind, expanding the reach and programs of Junior Blind. This opened the door for new services and a new name.

Lilliput Families joined the team in the 2020 merger, bringing new comprehensive prevention and permanency programs to Wayfinder. Combining their resources, programs and reputations with multiple other successful nonprofit organizations over the years has allowed Wayfinder, as well as all of these organizations, to increase their impact and better serve children, youth and families throughout California. 

Wayfinder’s long history is full of developments that never would’ve be possible without the mergers that provided new insights, ideas and resources along the way. Anytime can be the right time to collaborate with organizations that share your passion and purpose.

You can find more details about the collaboration with Lilliput Families here.