The Center for Relationship Enrichment at John Brown University announced this week that it is changing its name to the Center for Healthy Relationships (CHR).

While the name is changing, the CHR mission to equip people for healthy relationships through biblically-based resources and programs remains the same, said Dr. Gary J. Oliver, executive director. “Our name is our mission and our mission is our name.”

Founded in 1998, the Center’s mission is to equip people for developing healthy relationships through consulting, education, enrichment, resources, research and assessment.

“Really everything we do has always been about healthy relationships since we started the Center 16 years ago,” said Oliver. “Healthy relationships provide the foundation for a strong marriage, family, community and nation, and our team is committed to this important endeavor as much today as ever. We look forward to continuing to invest in the JBU community, Northwest Arkansas, Christian colleges and universities, churches, corporations and communities across the country.

In 2006, with funding from a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CHR established NWA Healthy Marriages as a community service to expand their ability to provide high-quality, research-based and locally-relevant resources to help couples form safe, healthy and long-lasting relationships.

Through their NWA Healthy Marriages programs, the Center provides innovative premarital education and marriage enrichment through large training events and small group opportunities, and has been able to invest more than $5 million in strengthening the relationships in our NWA community.

In fact, since its inception, CHR has conducted more than 1,500 special events, community workshops and community classes that have impacted more than 35,000 people locally and nationwide

“Years of research tell us that when people make a healthy marriage a priority, there are significantly better outcomes for our children, our neighborhoods, our churches, our communities and our state,” said Stew Grant, director of marriage ministries for the CHR.

The Center for Relationship Enrichment, now The Center for Healthy Relationships, was founded in 1998. The Center’s mission is to educate, equip and enrich people for developing healthy relationships through consulting, education, enrichment, resources, research and assessment. CHR serves college students and the public with its marriage preparation, marriage enrichment and relationship skills services.