The Pieters Family Life Center is named for Marie and Bob Pieters and their children, honoring a lifelong family commitment to serving children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Two of Marie and Bob Pieters’ five children – Robert Jr. and Karen, both with developmental disabilities – were born into a family that was completely committed to giving them all the love and attention they would need to maximize their abilities and ensure they would have the best possible quality of life.

Together with a group of friends, Bob and Marie shared a dream that children with developmental disabilities would always have a home where they would be loved and nurtured as is their rightful Christian heritage. Heritage Christian Home became a reality in 1980. The agency opened its first two adult community residences in 1984.

By 2003, Heritage Christian Home had become Heritage Christian Services to better reflect the organization’s expanding breadth of operations. Bob Pieters was president and C.E.O. of Heritage Christian Services when the Life Center officially opened in 2007.

The entire Pieters family – including siblings Dan, John and Kim – remains active in the many phases of the agency’s operations. Each has dedicated countless hours of volunteer service in support of major agency events and fundraisers.

Robert Jr., who passed away in 2017, and Karen played key roles in inspiring the Heritage Christian Services family. They serve as reminders that the highest quality of care starts with love, dignity and respect.

The Pieters Family Life Center is a premier program of Heritage Christian Services, a thriving human services agency that partners with thousands of people throughout Rochester and Buffalo to ensure that everyone – including children and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – feels valued and respected. In addition, Heritage Christian Services provides high-quality child care at Expressive Beginnings Child Care; agricultural education at Springdale Farm; therapeutic horseback riding at Heritage Christian Stables; employment supports to people with disabilities through the Employment Alliance; and supports people with disabilities internationally through A Second Thought Resale Shop.