Christopher Goetsch was nominated as a hidden hero in Portage County because he started a program with Innovative Services for youth. He created a program that helps children with special needs face our world and overcome day to day challenges. Though this is Christopher's job, he always goes above and beyond. He has shown true love and care for all children in the area and has helped them achieve success while making their families feel comfortable and supported as well. He has been able to teach these children trust, love, respect, responsibility, accountability, courage, and most importantly kindness. The dedication and heart Christopher shares with his community is a rarity that you truly do not see often. The true heart and inspiration he has shown to our community is outstanding, especially to families in their most vulnerable emotional states. He absolutely deserves to be recognized as a Portage County hidden hero!

If you are not sure what Innovative Services is, it is an amazing organization that was founded in 2004. The organization embraces self-determination and strives to help every person they support to achieve their maximum potential. Their mission and core value helps shape creative solutions to be able to support people for maximum independence in their homes and communities. To learn more you can check out their website: https://www.isiinc.org/.

Christopher is originally from Oxford, Wisconsin. He had previously been involved with helping the youth in Oxford as well, especially throughout his church involvement. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point in 2011 with a Health Care Administration degree. Without even knowing that this career opportunity existed, he shortly found Innovative Services while job searching. Since joining Innovative Services seven years ago, Christopher has been able to watch the organization as a whole grow and start his own youth program that he has been managing for four years now. 

Christopher also has a family of his own that consists of his loving wife and two young children ages two and five. He really enjoys the Portage County environment and community and plans to stick around for quite some time. In order to do all that he does, he has had to learn to find a balance and the hardest truth he has had to overcome is that he simply can't do everything, although he wishes he could. 

Christopher's hero: His grandparents and parents 

Christopher's most deeply held belief: Give people a chance

Thank you for all that you do Christopher.