In June of 1945, at a convention in Chicago was when the FCCLA was founded.  At the beginning it was known as the ‘Future Homemakers of America [FHA]’. It stayed this way until 1999 when it was voted to be changed to ‘Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America [FCCLA]’. Today there are over 200,000 members in the FCCLA. This is a national organization focusing on Family and Consumer Sciences. This happens to be the only organization with its main focus as the family.

Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America has eight purposes:

1. To help provide the opportunity for personal development and preparation for adult life

Offers members the opportunity to expand their leadership potential and develop skills for life — planning, goal setting, problem solving, decision making, and interpersonal communication — necessary in the home and workplace.

2. Strengthen the function of the family, which is the basic unit of society

Projects that have the family working together so that they can become closer and so that they can keep a view of a stable and happy, healthy family.

3.Encourage democracy through cooperative action in the home and community

Vote for what the family or community wants as a whole. Instead of having a parent chose for the family or for having a mayor chose for the entire community.

4.Encourage individual and group involvement in helping achieve global cooperation and harmony

Becoming more aware of the environment and wanting to help to keep it clean.

5. Promote the greater understanding between youths and adults

Help adults become closer and more understanding of youths and how they work and help them to succeed in their lives.

6.Help provide the opportunities to make decisions and assume adulthood responsibilities

Addressing important personal, work, and societal issues

7. Give them preparation for the multiple roles of men and women in society today

The equality of men and women having roles that suit them correctly for their job description without forcing them to do something that they hate or dislike.

8.Promote the consumer sciences and family related occupations

To promote personal growth and leadership development through Family and Consumer Sciences education. Focusing on the multiple roles of family member, wage earner and community leader, members develop skills for life through: character development, creative and critical thinking, interpersonal communication, practical knowledge, and career preparation.