About Us

Strengthening families to create brighter futures for children

Starfish believes in investing early in the lives of families to keep them intact. We strive to prevent problems before they escalate and help strengthen relationships to build solid families that work. We believe in the potential of all children and the power of healthy parent-child relationships to break the cycles of poverty and create long-term positive outcomes for children.

Who We Are

Founded in 1963, Starfish Family Services is a private, nonprofit agency serving vulnerable children and families in metropolitan Detroit. Starfish is a leading provider of early childhood development and parenting programs, children’s mental health services, after school programs, and an emergency shelter for teens and youth in crisis. We have more than a dozen programs at service sites throughout metropolitan Detroit, 270 employees, and a $13 million dollar budget that serves more than 9,000 at-risk children and families each year.

The Starfish Story

A woman was walking on the beach after a terrible storm. She noticed a young man ahead of her picking up starfish and throwing them into the surf. When she reached the man, she asked, “With millions of starfish on the beach, what difference can you make?” The young man smiled at the woman, reached down and picked up a starfish. Throwing it into the sea, he said, “It makes a difference to this one.”

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