Grants totaling $110,000 from four charitable funds within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region were distributed to First 5 Fox Valley to plan for the transformation of the Trout Museum of Art building in downtown Appleton into the Together for Families: Fox Valley Family Resource Center. A foundational start to the project included a $100,000 grant from the David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, and community planning grants of $6,000 from our Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region partner, and $4,000 from the John and Sally Mielke Early Years Fund for the Fox Valley within the Community Foundation.  

The art museum will continue to operate at its current 111 W. College Avenue location until late spring 2025 and prepare to open in September 2025 in a new space under construction at the intersection of College Avenue and Drew Street as part of a joint venture with Lawrence University. First 5 Fox Valley will renovate the building once the art museum relocates. 

Barb Tengesdal, Executive Director of First 5 Fox Valley

“The Trout Museum of Art Board and First 5 in conversations realized our missions really aligned,” said Barb Tengesdal, Ph.D., and the Executive Director of First 5 Fox Valley. “We realized together that this is a good place to share and to transfer our work.”

The family resource center, scheduled to open in summer of 2026, will include a free, year-round public play area, and parent education and resources where families can easily connect with early childhood programs in one location. This new space will help create a sense of community and belonging for all in a thriving community venture. 

As announced during a news conference on August 22, the new resource center will help families gain economic self-sufficiency, improved health, stronger social support, and better family functioning. Located near parks, schools, the public library, and the Building for Kids children’s museum, the resource center will be a convenient and enriching destination for families according to the First 5 organization. This historical location will continue to be a wonderful community asset providing new opportunities for families. 

First 5 Fox Valley has embarked on an $8 million capital campaign for the Family Resource Center. This campaign will help with the purchase of the building, support renovation efforts, plans for family-centered programming, and create an endowment for long-term sustainability. So far, $3.1 million has been raised.

To learn more about the Family Resource Center and how to support its capital campaign, visit Together for Families | The Fox Valley Family Resource Center (firstfivefoxvalley.org)