The idea for a supervised visitation and exchange center in Ottawa County first took shape in 2006, when the Leadership Ottawa County Class of 2006-2007 met with representatives from the Ottawa County Common Pleas Court and the Juvenile Court to discuss the need for this service in Ottawa County.  The Leadership Class took up the challenge to educate the public on the need for this service and find individuals interested in coming together to bring the idea to fruition. 

In July 2007, those individuals met for the first time and created the Board of Directors for Joyful Connections.  They created and adopted by-laws and set about moving through the legal framework of creating a non-profit agency.  The Board began seeking donations for start-up expenses such as filing fees and insurance.  In July of 2008, they received their approval for 501©3 non-profit status, and began to seek funds from grants and foundations.

The Board visited other supervised visitation centers and began to look for a site that would fit their needs and their budget.  They found space in a building owned by the Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities that is located centrally to Ottawa County.  The Board sought donations from the public and was able to fill the space with furniture, toys, books, and games for the children.

In August of 2008, the Board secured funding to hire an Executive Director who has developed the center by creating procedures for providing services and recruiting volunteers to staff the center.  Joyful Connections opened its doors for service in October 2008.  The center currently has approximately 60 supervised visits scheduled per month.