FAQ

Missouri Girls Town Foundation, Inc., is a public 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1953 by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Missouri.  The major affairs are managed according to our Articles of Incorporation and By-laws by a Board of Directors consisting of at least nine but no more than 19 non-compensated elected Directors.

Key Staff

Jenny Preiss, M.ED
Executive Director

Melissa Blumer, LCSW, MSW
Program and Clinical Director

Girls Town provides a continuum of care that ranges from outpatient assessment and counseling for family and children to a residential system that provides year-round care for children of preadolescent ages through high school graduates.

Girls Town is situated on more than 23 beautiful acres in mid-Missouri.  It is located close to Interstate 70 at Exit 155 in Callaway County. Our location was chosen due to its central location. Our central location makes it easier to serve clients and their families from across the entire state.  Girls Town services are offered to young women from every county within Missouri.

The majority of girls are referred to Girls Town through the Missouri Division of Social Service-Children’s Division, the Department of Mental Health, and the Juvenile Court System. Girls placed at Missouri Girls Town are given a chance to succeed in our caring, structured environment.  For more information on admissions, please see our page on admission and referral.

Girls Town has concentrated on providing care and treatment for abused and neglected girls from the very beginning. The reason is simple, by staying focused, Girls Town has been able to build a program of parenting and counseling that fits the needs of teenage girls.

Girls Town operates 365 days a year, providing round the clock individualized care. The cost of complete care — everything from room and board to counseling, education, recreation and transportation — is about $215 a day per child. The state of Missouri normally provides a fee for every child placed a Missouri Girls Town. However, that amount is only two-thirds of the total cost of care. One-third of our annual budget must come from other sources — including private supporters who share our goal of helping abused and neglected girls rebuild their lives. For more information on contributing to Girls Town, please see our page on charitable giving.