Oak Tree Child and Family Services receives Capital Catalyst Revolving Loan
PRESS RELEASE
DATE: May 11, 2023
TO: Local Media Outlets
FROM: Rebecca Houseman, City Manager
RE: Oak Tree Child and Family Services receives Capital Catalyst Revolving Loan
The Economic Development Commission, on behalf of the City of Fort Atkinson, has awarded a Capital Catalyst Revolving Loan to Oak Tree Child and Family Services to be located at 511 Madison Ave. Oak Tree Child and Family Services received a $100,000 loan through this program on May 11.
Oak Tree Child and Family Services was founded in October of 2016, as a private practice mental health counseling office with Darlene Meiners as the sole counselor. As the clinic grew, an office manager, two counselors and a certified life coach were added to the team. Oak Tree is currently operating in a leased office space in Jefferson and now with the help of the Capital Catalyst Revolving Loan will be purchasing the property at 511 Madison Ave.
Oak Tree provides mental health counseling services to families and specializes in serving children between the ages of 2 and 17, with support and coping skills. They have significant experience assisting with adolescents contemplating self-harm, suicidal ideation, depression and anxiety. In addition, they assist in the process of understanding and improving communication, personal interaction within the family system, and the resolution of conflict. This includes life challenges such as divorce, separation, death, blended families and military deployments.
The property at 511 Madison Ave. is a 6,411 square foot building and will provide Oak Tree the space they need to add four new offices for additional practitioners and create a play therapy/sensory room and art therapy room. The business hopes to add four new jobs at the facility in the next three years.
The purpose of the Capital Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund is to help stimulate the City’s economy. On Jan. 28, 2022, the Fort Atkinson Economic Development Commission approved a partnership with the Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium (JCEDC) to manage the revolving loan fund, which includes $600,000 in available funds.
The goal of the Capital Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund program is to encourage the startup of new businesses and the expansion of existing businesses. The focus will be on assisting companies in industry sectors including, but not limited to advanced manufacturing, agriculture or food processing, information systems or software, medical devices, biosciences and energy. Activities assisted with program funds should address one or more of the following:
- Encourage new private investment in the City of Fort Atkinson;
- Support a diverse mix of employment opportunities and minimize seasonal or cyclical employment fluctuations;
- Encourage the development and use of modern technologies that increase productivity and efficiency.
- Support the elimination of blight and encourage urban redevelopment.
Loans of up to $100,000 are available through this Fund, made possible by a Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The team at the Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium will work with applicants through the application and underwriting process. A Loan Review Committee will review applications and make recommendations to the Economic Development Commission for approval.
Anyone interested in more information is encouraged to review the application and loan guidelines on the City’s website at www.fortatkinsonwi.gov. Those interested in applying for the Capital Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund should contact Deb Reinbold, Executive Director of JCEDC at DReinbold@jeffersoncountywi.gov or 920-674-8710.
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Members of the team at Oak Tree Child and Family Services are seen accepting a $100,000 check for a Capital Catalyst Revolving Loan from the City of Fort Atkinson on Thursday. From left are: Deb Reinbold, Executive Director of Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium; Rebecca Houseman, Fort Atkinson City Manager; Morieen Ring, Chris Klein, Darlene Meiners, owner; Katee Ames and Kitty Sawyer, all of Oak Tree Child and Family Services; Michelle Ebbert, Fort Atkinson Clerk/Treasurer Finance Director and Jonah Ralston, Fort Atkinson Economic Development Commission.
