APPLETON (NBC 26) — Less than two years after the Trout Museum of Art vacated its longtime home on College Avenue, the five-story downtown building has begun a new chapter as a hub for children, parents and caregivers across Northeast Wisconsin.
First 5 Fox Valley celebrated the opening of its new Family Resource Center, cutting the ribbon on a project years in the making and designed to connect families with free resources, support services and educational opportunities under one roof.
"It takes a village to raise a child, and now that village has a place," First 5 Fox Valley Executive Director Barb Tengesdal said during the ceremony.
The center's journey began as far back as the COVID-19 pandemic and construction got underway in 2025. Leaders say the goal is simple: create a welcoming, barrier-free space where families can find support without stigma or cost.
"It's a place to come to ask in a free, open space without any shame, without barriers or gaps," Tengesdal said. "You walk in and it's free."
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Located at 111 W. College Ave. in downtown Appleton, the Family Resource Center features two floors of free play and learning spaces designed for children and families. Interactive features include play rivers, bridges, forts and exploration areas aimed at encouraging creativity, movement and development. According to First 5 Fox Valley, the facility was intentionally designed to help children learn through play while giving parents and caregivers opportunities to connect with one another and access community resources.
The building also houses family support services, developmental resources and community partners. The center serves as a home for Help Me Grow Wisconsin, a program that helps connect families with developmental screenings, information and referrals to services that support children's growth and development. The facility also includes community gathering spaces and meeting rooms available for educational programming and community events.
Gov. Tony Evers joined local leaders for the ribbon-cutting celebration, praising the effort to bring additional resources to families in the Fox Valley.
Organizers say the need for a dedicated family resource center in the region has been clear for years.
"We don't have a family resource center in this area," Tengesdal said. "The closest was in Green Bay and Fond du Lac, and now Fond du Lac's is closed."
Funding for the project came through a combination of private donations and federal grants, allowing all resources and services inside the center to be offered free of charge to families.
For parent ambassador Hannah Zuelzke, the center provides a level of support she wishes had existed when she became a mother at age 20.
"I didn't know where to go, where to start," Zuelzke said.
She remembers trying to navigate parenthood largely on her own.
"I had to find resources all by myself," she said. "I would say it was actually lonely."
That sense of isolation is exactly what First 5 Fox Valley hopes to address.
The organization says the new center is designed not only to connect families with services but also to create opportunities for parents and caregivers to build relationships and support networks with others facing similar challenges.
The Family Resource Center is expected to open to the public within the next two weeks, welcoming families from throughout Northeast Wisconsin into a space organizers hope will become a cornerstone of support for the region's youngest children and those raising them.
