The mission of Youth & Family Services began in 1973 as Thelma J. Gungoll and other concerned citizens saw a need to help disadvantaged youth. The Garfield County jail was the only temporary shelter for many of these youth.

In 1974, Youth and Family Services was founded to provide temporary shelter and address the special needs of children affected by abuse, neglect and delinquent behavior. A 21 member volunteer board of directors was established, staff recruited and services began in a small building on South Grand. Startup funding came from local community donations.

In 1984, facilities at 2925 N Midway were purchased and renovated through the support of the local community. This facility consisted of three military barracks built in the 1940’s.

Services continue to grow, meeting the needs of our community. Thanks to the support of the Enid community, a new shelter and counseling center has been completed. This building is located on the same lot where the old building stood. The address is 605 W. Oxford.

In working with the Office of Juvenile Affairs, the CARS program offers many services to local adolescents. We offer family and individual and group counseling as well as programs in tutoring and mentoring.

Youth and their family are recipients of the experience of our counselors in family therapy.
Our tutoring and mentoring programs can be offered in addition to counseling or separately from counseling.

At Youth & Family Services, we strive to offer support, encouragement and guidance to the youths referred to the CARS program. Our goal is to aid in diverting delinquency among the children of our community.