Boys & Girls Club Blog

November 11, 2026

At the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh, we believe supporting individuals and families takes a community-wide effort. Through the Hyde Family Community Center, we bring together local organizations that provide important resources, services and opportunities to help make our community stronger.

This month, we’re proud to shine a spotlight on Focus on Freedom LLC and Empower Freedom, two sister companies working together to empower individuals with diverse abilities, their families and the people who support them. Through hands-on services, education and practical resources, they help individuals build independence, develop confidence and experience success in everyday life.

Meet Focus on Freedom & Empower Freedom

Focus on Freedom and Empower Freedom share a mission of creating opportunities for individuals with diverse abilities and the people who support them.

Focus on Freedom provides individualized services to individuals ages 8–25 throughout Winnebago, Calumet, Fond du Lac and Outagamie counties. Their services include daily living skills training, career exploration, personal futures planning and caregiver support. These services help individuals build practical skills, explore their interests and work toward greater independence.

Through Empower Freedom, the organizations extend that support through an online membership filled with tools and resources, personalized family coaching, professional development and parent education. This allows families, educators and professionals to access guidance and support wherever they are.

Together, the sister companies offer both hands-on services and educational resources, recognizing that empowering an individual also means equipping the people around them with the knowledge and tools to help them succeed.

Making an Impact

For Focus on Freedom and Empower Freedom, impact isn’t always measured by one big milestone. Often, it’s found in the everyday moments when someone gains a new skill, takes a step toward independence or becomes more confident in their abilities.

Through their individualized services, they see individuals develop skills that carry over into daily life. Just as importantly, they see families grow more confident in navigating available services and advocating for their loved ones.

As Marla shared, sometimes it’s the smallest steps that create the biggest changes. By supporting individuals directly while also educating and equipping caregivers, families and professionals, Focus on Freedom and Empower Freedom help create opportunities for lasting growth and independence.

Building Connections at the Hyde Family Community Center

The Hyde Family Community Center was created around the idea that when organizations work together, everyone benefits. With community partners offering a variety of services and resources under one roof, the Center creates opportunities to connect, share knowledge and reach people who may benefit from their services.

Focus on Freedom is an onsite Hyde Family Community Center partner, with dedicated office space at the Center. Having a presence at Hyde provides a welcoming place to connect with individuals and families, support skill development and offer family education. It also creates opportunities to build relationships with other community organizations and share resources.

Their partnership is a great example of how organizations with different areas of expertise can work together toward a shared goal. As Marla J. Kopecky Penney, Owner of Focus on Freedom LLC, shared, “We strongly believe that collaboration creates opportunities that no single organization can provide alone.”

By bringing people, resources and services together, the Hyde Family Community Center helps create opportunities that may not be possible through one organization alone.

We’re grateful to have Focus on Freedom and Empower Freedom as part of the Hyde Family Community Center. Their commitment to empowering individuals with diverse abilities and supporting the families and professionals around them is an important part of building a more connected and inclusive community.

Want to learn more about Focus on Freedom and Empower Freedom? Visit their websites to explore their services, online resources and opportunities to get involved.

Want to become a Hyde Family Community Center Partner? Contact Director Michelle Rector at micheller@bgcosh.org.