VAN WERT, Ohio – The Marsh Foundation is excited to reveal the new dining and fitness facilities that have been added to campus. On Saturday October 16, an open house will be held that will highlight several important areas of The Marsh campus and history. It will be held from 1 until 6 p.m. and will include tours of the Administration Building, the new gymnasium, Clymer Hall, and a memorial tribute in honor of Ron Bagley at 3 p.m.

According to Jeff Grothouse, executive secretary and treasurer, this is an exciting opportunity to showcase the new areas and facilities at The Marsh Foundation. “We are thrilled to invite the public to tour our new fitness area, dining facilities and gymnasium,” he said. “Because of the mutual love and respect between Ron Bagley and The Marsh, this also seems like an ideal time to honor his memory.” At 3 p.m., a tribute service for Bagley will be held in the Bagley Auditorium. The day’s event will conclude with fellowship and refreshments in the cafeteria.

Campus tours will include the 15,000 square foot addition to the Administration Building which includes a gymnasium, locker rooms, kitchen, dining area and more. Clymer Hall will also be open for tours. As The Marsh transitions to a QRTP facility, Clymer now houses boys, the same as Vance and Marsh Halls. “We are very proud of these facilities and the additional opportunities that they represent for our youth,” said Grothouse. “We think the community will be equally as proud.”

Bagley dedicated much of his life to The Marsh Foundation. His passing in December, left a large void for those at The Marsh. From 1962 to 1991 he worked at The Marsh as a teacher, principal and director. Most recently, he served as the organization’s official historian. The Bagley family will be on hand October 16 to honor their husband, father and grandfather at 3 p.m. “Ron touched numerous lives and was loved by many” Grothouse said. “We are excited for this opportunity to honor him, his life, and legacy.”

The public is invited to attend. For more information, please contact Jeff Grothouse at 419.238.1695 ext. 120.

The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children services agency that provides services for youth and families in a variety of settings. Services include residential care, family foster care (ages 0-17), adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization is licensed to provide on-campus services for up to 30 children, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12, and provides a variety of clinical services to campus residents, foster care children and community members.

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Photo Caption: In May of 2019, ground was broken on the newest addition to The Marsh Foundation campus. The 15,000 square foot area holds a kitchen, dining area, gymnasium and more. It will be open to the public on October 16 beginning at 1 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Several areas of campus will be open for tour as well as a Ron Bagley tribute at 3 p.m. All are invited.

VAN WERT, Ohio – The Marsh Foundation has hired Claire Fleck as the new Bridges Liaison for the Northwest Ohio Region. Bridges is a statewide program administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services through a grant agreement with The Child and Family Health Collaborative of Ohio.  As a member of this Collaborative, The Marsh Foundation provides services through the post-emancipation support program to eligible former foster youth.  

Fleck holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The Ohio State University and has worked as a school family teacher and family teacher at The Marsh most recently. Before that, Fleck worked for ten years investigating child abuse, neglect and dependency cases for several Northwest Ohio counties.

Fleck said she enjoys work at The Marsh for several reasons. “I chose to work at The Marsh Foundation because of the variety of opportunities not only for staff but also for the youth we serve,” she said. “The greatest reward is seeing the youth I have worked with successfully discharged and doing well after they leave.”

She has several goals for her new position and is looking forward to helping youth transition into young adulthood. “I hope to continue to build a program that meets the needs of the young adults in Northwest Ohio. I hope to build stronger community relations to be able to assist these young adults to feel supported in the communities where they live,” Fleck said. She also hopes to work toward program expansion.

The Bridges program was established in December 2017 to extend housing and case management services to eligible young adults who leave foster care on or after their 18^th birthday but have not yet turned 21.  Fleck will continue to work with young adults in this age range who have recently emancipated from foster care. She’ll supply them with resources and help them with tasks such as finding affordable housing, finding a job, creating a budget and transportation. Essentially, she’ll assist with anything that helps them transition to adult life.

Fleck is a mother to two teenage children and enjoys spending time with them, her boyfriend, family, friends and her dog. In her free time, she enjoys refinishing vintage or worn furniture, listening to all types of music and enjoying hot tea.  

The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children services agency that provides services for youth and families in a variety of settings. Services include residential care, family foster care (ages 0-17), adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization is licensed to provide on-campus services for up to 30 children, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12, and provides a variety of clinical services to campus residents, foster care children and community members.

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Photo caption: Claire Fleck has been promoted to Bridges Liaison at The Marsh Foundation.  

September 21, 2021

For Immediate Release

 VAN WERT, Ohio – The Marsh Foundation has hired Kevin Longstreth as a physical education teacher and intervention specialist. With the addition of the physical fitness area and gymnasium on campus, this is another opportunity to expand the opportunities for youth at The Marsh.

Longstreth holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Bowling Green State University, a teaching license for physical education grades K-12 and an intervention specialist degree from The Ohio State University. Longstreth’s experience involves casework at Westwood Behavioral Heath as well as crisis intervention and vocational rehabilitation. He has also worked for the City of Van Wert Parks and Recreation Department. This summer, he was hired as a fitness instructor at The Marsh. 

Longstreth said he is looking forward to the opportunity to make a positive impact on students each day. “Physical education is an important class for students because it teaches them how to work as a team, strengthens their social skills and teaches them the value of staying active,” he said. “I am excited to be able to teach and utilize the new facilities at The Marsh and with that comes the flexibility to hold classes in a variety of different spaces.”

As the first physical education teacher at The Marsh, Longstreth said he has several goals. “As I work directly with students, I hope to influence and connect with them in a meaningful way. In addition to sharing my love for physical fitness, I want to promote inclusiveness, responsibility, cooperation and diversity.”

Longstreth and his wife Danielle have three children; Grady 10, Nora 8 and Quinn 4. He enjoys watching and participating in all types of sports and physical fitness. He spends most of his free time with his family and watching them participate in many different activities.

The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children services agency that provides services for youth and families in a variety of settings. Services include residential care, family foster care (ages 0-17), adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization is licensed to provide on-campus services for up to 30 children, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12, and provides a variety of clinical services to campus residents, foster care children and community members.

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Photo caption: Kevin Longstreth

VAN WERT, Ohio – This summer, The Marsh Foundation Foster Care Division held a successful day camp for youth in their clinical program. There were a total of 14 youth ranging in age from 5 to 15 who participated. The camp was held for one week from 9 a.m. until noon each day. The camp featured a theme each day, friendship, kindness, emotions, choices and leadership.

According to Melissa Snyder, foster care director, the purpose of the camp was to allow the youth to come together, participate in fun activities, while also learning positive character traits. “It was an amazing adventure and all of the kids were very well behaved,” she said. “It was great for our staff to get to know the kids on a more personal level and it was also cool to see them form friendships among themselves.” An additional perk to the camp, was the free time the foster parents got those mornings.

Each day, the activities coordinated with the theme and included activity pages, deep breathing, yoga, dance parties, games, reading, crafts and group parachute activities. Some crafts included friendship bracelets and heart sun catchers. Each day, lunch was provided by The Marsh kitchen staff. Friday included zip lining and rock wall climbing at Camp Clay for the older kids. This was part reward for helping throughout the week, but also emphasized leadership, teamwork and being a good role model.

Beth Dye, foster care clinician, along with the rest of the department staffed the camp. They considered it a huge success for their first camp. “Several of our parents commented that it was an incredible experience for their kids,” Dye said. One of the biggest benefits of the camp, according to Dye, was that kids got to meet other kids who are in similar situations to their own. “These are kids who understand better than anyone what they are all going through, as there are different sets of concerns and anxieties that kids who are unable to live with their biological parents experience.”

Dye took the lead when it came to planning the camp and according to Snyder did an excellent job. “I also think it’s important to make note of all of the extra work she put in to make this possible. She went above and beyond to give our kids this amazing experience,” Snyder said.

The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children services agency that provides services for youth and families in a variety of settings. Services include residential care, family foster care (ages 0-17), adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization is licensed to provide on-campus services for up to 30 children, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12, and provides a variety of clinical services to campus residents, foster care children and community members.

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Photo caption: Activities at The Marsh foster care day camp included rock climbing, dance parties, crafts and much more.

VAN WERT, Ohio – Project Believe has once again stepped up to help the students at The Marsh Foundation start school on a positive note. Last week, they visited campus with a delivery of backpacks and school supplies for all students.

The organization, which originated in 2009, began by donating Christmas gifts to children in residential facilities. They now are also active on Easter, Valentine’s Day and the start of the school year. Tammie Rafferty, the group’s founder, was initially inspired to help others by her own daughter’s circumstances.

This year, Bob Lavoie, visited the campus to present the backpacks and supplies to Mr. Robbie Breese, Marsh Foundation School Principal and teachers.

“We feel very fortunate that Project Believe has chosen to continue to assist The Marsh Foundation in our mission of inspiring hope to our children,” said Breese. “Our students and teachers are very excited to accept the backpacks and supplies as we return to the classroom this school year.”

You can learn more about Project Believe by visiting their website at www.projectbelive.net. Or, you can contact Rafferty directly at

The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children services agency that provides services for youth and families in a variety of settings. Services include residential care, family foster care (ages 0-17), adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization is licensed to provide on-campus services for up to 30 children, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12, and provides a variety of clinical services to campus residents, foster care children and community members.

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Photo caption: Left to right: Kevin Longstreth (teacher), Mandy Looser (teacher), Lavoie, Joy Caldwell (librarian), and Breese are pictured with this year’s donation.

VAN WERT, Ohio – The Marsh Foundation School held its annual spring celebration this May in the Bagley Auditorium. The day included an awards ceremony, graduation, and a celebration meal. Two students earned and received their diplomas. This year, due to Covid restrictions, only Marsh staff, students and families of the graduates were able to attend. However, the in-person event was much appreciated after holding it virtually last spring.

At the ceremony, many students received academic awards for their successes throughout the school year. This year’s event was extra special because Mrs. Val Dunn was recognized for her retirement. Mrs. Dunn taught for 35 years, with 22 of those years being at The Marsh Foundation School. She will be greatly missed.  On behalf of The Marsh, director of education and school principal, Robbie Breese presented Dunn with a plaque during the ceremony expressing gratitude for all she has given to the students she’s taught over the years. The students and staff wished her well in all of her future endeavors during the reception following the ceremony.

The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children services agency that provides services for youth and families in a variety of settings. Services include residential care, family foster care (ages 0-17), adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization is licensed to provide on-campus services for up to 30 children, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12, and provides a variety of clinical services to campus residents, foster care children and community members.

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Photo caption: Mrs. Val Dunn receives a plaque in honor of her retirement from principal Robbie Breese.  

VAN WERT, Ohio – As The Marsh Foundation transitions to a Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP), the need for counseling services has increased. To help meet that need, The Marsh has hired a third full-time counselor, Seth Rollins.  With a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling, both from Wright State University, Rollins is a licensed professional counselor, or LPC.

While attending graduate school, Rollins completed a one-year internship at Youth Positive Health, a day treatment program in Dayton run by South Community Behavioral Health. According to Rollins, this provided him experience working with youth in both an individual and group counseling setting. And, prior to his time at graduate school, he worked at The Marsh for a summer as the assistant activity coordinator. This position not only introduced him to the organization’s mission, but also to the many needs of the youth on campus.

According to Rollins, the sense of community is one of the biggest reasons he was drawn back to working at The Marsh. “Everyone at The Marsh does so well at working together to serve clients,” he said. “I think The Marsh Foundation does a tremendous job of helping children who come from very difficult situations, and I wanted to be a part of helping to serve these children,” Rollins added. He said he is excited about the resources available to help work with individual clients. These include things like the pond, weight room, new gymnasium and green house.

Rollins said he is looking forward working with other experienced counselors at The Marsh. “I specifically want to gain skills and knowledge for working with children who have experienced trauma and who have spent significant time in the foster care system,” he said. In his free time, Rollins enjoys spending time with his family and friends, reading, watching movies, running and playing the guitar. He said he really appreciates his family’s support as he worked to complete graduate school. “I specially want to thank my Grandma Barb who encouraged me to pursue this position and has taken a special interest in my new job,” Rollins concluded.

The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children services agency that provides services for youth and families in a variety of settings. Services include residential care, family foster care (ages 0-17), adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization is licensed to provide on-campus services for up to 30 children, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12, and provides a variety of clinical services to campus residents, foster care children and community members.

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Photo caption: Seth Rollins is the newest counselor at The Marsh Foundation.  

VAN WERT, Ohio – The Marsh Foundation Foster Care and Adoption division has officially opened a second office in Wapakoneta, Ohio. The small incubation office is located within The Chamber of Commerce at 30 E. Auglaize Street. With the continuous expansion and recruitment of new foster families in the surrounding areas, the additional office will make it easier to connect with families south of Van Wert.

The Marsh Foster Care Director, Melissa Snyder, said that the new office is a great asset to The Marsh. “We work with a lot of families in Mercer and Auglaize Counties. This new office space will allow us to be closer and even more accessible to these families.” She also said it is an opportunity to educate more people about the need for foster families. “We have a great need for foster families and there are many children in need of care. This office will allow us to raise awareness and tell more people about the need and opportunity to help,” she said.

Children in foster care experience many changes. Placements close to home help minimize that change. “Our kids experience a lot of change which can cause anxiety,” Snyder said. “If we can keep kids in their own communities it generally makes for an easier transition and more effective placement,” she continued. There is a continued need for foster families in Wapakoneta and the surrounding communities.

Those interested in learning more about fostering, can contact our Foster Care Supervisor, Melissa Snyder (), or at 419.238.1695 ext. 307. Information is also available on our website at www.marshfoundation.org/services/foster-care.

The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children services agency that provides services for youth and families in a variety of settings. Services include residential care, family foster care (ages 0-17), adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization is licensed to provide on-campus services for up to 30 children, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12, and provides a variety of clinical services to campus residents, foster care children and community members.

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Photo caption: The Marsh Foundation Foster Care and Adoption staff pose in front of the Wapakoneta Chamber of Commerce, the location of their newest office. 

VAN WERT, Ohio – The Marsh Foundation has been committed to serving children and families for 100 years. Throughout the past century, the State of Ohio has often determined that facilities need to meet certain requirements and provide certain services in line with their licensing. This is once again the case, and The Marsh will transition from a group home facility to a Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP).

According to Kim Mullins, executive director of Child & Family Services, this is simply a continuation of the quality treatment programs The Marsh offers children and families. “This transition will enhance the services we offer,” Mullins said. In preparation, the facility has already implemented additional treatment modalities such as a comprehensive day treatment program. Another full-time therapist has also been hired. In addition, The Marsh will transition to an all-male residential campus as of July 1, 2021.

“Our programming will not only feature an updated clinical approach, but we will also provide access to a 24-hour, on call medical professional,” Mullins said. “We are excited for this opportunity to strengthen our treatment programs. This more comprehensive approach will have a strong focus on familial engagement and reunification.”

The Marsh Foundation is proud of its history of success. Strong outcomes and positive influences on children and families have allowed the organization to establish solid relationships with a variety of agencies and referral sources from around the state. This affirmative reputation is encouraging as the agency transitions into this restructured programming. “We are proud of the services we offer and the ability we have to help children and families. And we are looking forward to continuing these impactful services for years to come,” Mullins concluded.

The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children services agency that provides services for youth and families in a variety of settings. Services include residential care, family foster care (ages 0-17), adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization is licensed to provide on-campus services for up to 30 children, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12, and provides a variety of clinical services to campus residents, foster care children and community members.

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VAN WERT, Ohio – 2020 has not been an ordinary year. This meant that businesses and non-profit organizations alike have had to get creative in how they provide services and products. This is true for The Marsh Foundation Foster Care and Adoption Center in Van Wert. “We have really had to rethink how we reach out to our agency’s foster families and the kids in their care. Our goal has always been to provide a lot of support in the home, but with the pandemic, we weren’t able to be in the homes,” said Melissa Snyder, foster care director. “We have had to provide support through virtual services and use this as a way to continue to stay involved.”

The foster care program has always had an annual Christmas party for foster families and all the children in their home, whether foster or biological. “In the past, we have always had a big Christmas party with food, games and gifts for the kids. These parties had a lot of face-to-face interaction and we realized early on, this was not going to work this year,” Snyder said. “The foster care staff came together to figure out a way to still celebrate while keeping everyone healthy and support local holiday activities,” she said. “We came up with this idea to come together with the 4-H Exchange Club Holiday light Show to provide a holiday experience for our foster families.” The 4-H Exchange Club has been providing a holiday light show at the Van Wert Fairgrounds for the past 13 years.

“In 2007, we started with 13 displays and 500 vehicles driving through,” said Jay Gamble, Exchange Club advisor. “This year’s show has 110 plus displays and we are expecting over 3500 vehicles to come enjoy the lights,” he said. According to Gamble, all the exhibits have holiday themes and are supplied by local businesses, individuals, churches and clubs. The 4-H Exchange group is made up of youth, ages 13-18 from all areas of the county. “The light show is a way for the group to raise funds to support the cost to host other youth or travel to other states during the summer months. This allows the youth to build friendships and experience other areas,” Gamble added. The club and The Marsh were excited to come together to provide this holiday experience, which is socially distant, safe and family friendly.

“We felt it was very important to align with local businesses and partner with an organization that shares our vision to support youth,” said Beth Dye, Marsh foster care clinician. “It always impacts me to see that most of our kids in foster care have no support system in the community and counties where they come from. I was born and raised in Van Wert County, so there was no shortage of caring adults involved in my life; like coaches, teachers, extended family, neighbors, church leaders and even 4-H advisors. Most of our foster kids have no one that is taking an interest in them or checking in on them. This is mostly because they move around a lot, aren’t regularly in school, or aren’t involved in the community,” she said. Caring adults are important because they can fill in the gaps and come alongside children when they are having problems at home. The Marsh believes that all children have the right to love, protection and to be cared for by a committed family. This is something that some biological families are just not able to provide.

The Marsh Foundation recruits and trains foster parents to provide homes to youth from counties all over Ohio. The foster care staff then work hard to ensure that the foster parents have the support needed to make these placements successful for the youth.

The 4-H Exchange Club and The Marsh Foster Care Program selected December 11 as the date for the foster families to visit the light show. The show is open every Thursday – Sunday, 6 – 9:30 p.m. and the entire week of Christmas. The cost is $5 per carload. The Marsh Foundation and 4-H both care and support kids and families and want to serve as a model to everyone that they can help youth by guiding lights of love and support. Snyder said, “It’s all about unity, not just between the 4-H Exchange Club and The Marsh Foundation, but between all agencies. The more we come together, the more children we can reach and serve.”

The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children’s services agency that provides services in a variety of settings. Services include group homes, family foster care (ages 0-17), an intensive treatment program, adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization’s group homes are licensed for up to 30 children ages 7 – 17, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12 and provides a variety of clinical services to group home residents, foster care children and community members.

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