Looking back, 2025 was a year of transition. It was our first full year navigating significant federal funding cuts. A shift we prepared for, but one that still left a real gap to fill. We knew the path forward wouldn’t come from one source alone, but the care, generosity and partnership of people like you.
So, we stayed focused on our mission and continued to show up for children, while inviting the community more fully into our work. Because of your support, individual giving grew, community events were well attended, and our relationships with the community deepened. In 2025 alone, our staff spent 611 hours connecting with the partners, building trust and strengthening our shared impact.
At the same time, we made painful but necessary decisions, including cuts to staff, as we adjusted to major funding changes. Every decision was guided by one priority: protect direct services for children and families. At Canopy Center, our staff is the work - there is nothing extra to cut. Your support ensured that services continued through a challenging year.
Your generosity allowed us to respond to the evolving needs of the children we serve. Children in our court advocacy program are now assessed for risk factors related to sex trafficking - an uncomfortable reality that too often intersects with abuse and instability. In 2026, we plan to expand this assessment to our therapy program.
Alongside these challenges, we witnessed powerful moments of healing. One father, separated from his children for three years, committed to sobriety and began rebuilding trust with his children through supervised visits. Interactions that once felt cautious slowly turned to excitement and eventually to unsupervised time together. As reunification progressed, we prepared to welcome the next family in need.
With the support of a grant from Only In Wisconsin Giving, our therapy spaces became even more responsive to the needs of the children we serve. We introduced new sensory experiences, including fiber optic ceiling tiles (see them in our space, here) and a compression canoe, giving children additional ways to regulate, feel safe and engage in therapy alongside the play and movement opportunities already available.
We also expanded group therapy for adult survivors of child sexual abuse in a newly refreshed space (watch the video that helped us secure a grant from 100 Men of Dane County to help fund this project), and are now accepting referrals for additional groups for children and teens. Group therapy is a vital complement to individual work, helping participants feel less alone in their experiences.
We are proud to partner with universities and colleges to provide meaningful learning experiences for future social workers, therapists, and family service providers. We are equally grateful for the volunteers who advocate, play, support, and show up for the children and families we serve.
As we step into 2026, we do so with both gratitude and resolve. Your generosity didn’t just help us through a difficult year - it positioned Canopy Center to move forward with purpose. We are grateful to have you alongside us.
Meaghan Henry
Executive Director
