Topic: Sustaining Childhood Care for Impoverished Immigrants
Location: Table J
Convened: At 4:30 by Patty Sensabaugh
Attendees:
Patty Sensabaugh(convener), Julie Riley, Tonya Nash, Ruth Stoltzfus Jost, Rev. Merle Shank (Grace Covenant), Ann Yoder, Carolinna ________ from Hispanic newspaper, John Reeves (recorder)
Notes:
In Sept, 2007, “Second Home” was created to address the *urgent need for before and after school, supervised programming for the (HBurg) Spotswood Elem. school & Thomas Harrison Middle school communities. This mission is a community ministry of Muhlenberg Lutheran Church. About 60 children (~ 95% Hispanic) are served on school days ( 6 to 8 am and 3 to 6 pm) and transportation provided to/ from both schools before & after school. Quality staffing includes Director (bi-lingual, mid.-school teacher), 4 teachers, 4 assistants and many screened students from JMU and EMU. Fully licensed by Va. strict regulations for children 5 to 13 yrs. old. Strong support from Ann Connors, Prin. of Spotswood Elem., who’s seen good improvement in academic and SOL test performance; after 2007-08, her school was no longer below Stds. However, how to “sustain” this Second Home? About $150,000/yr is needed and current fees paid by parents totals only $14,000/ yr. Funds raised from Muhlenberg Church, Community Foundation, City of HBurg. ($13,000) and Cargill Corp. grants have much stretched critical funds that JMU received in a large early children grant; but, that grant is not getting re-funded. Ideas/ suggestions were discussed; anyone with more brainstorms- contact Patty!
Action Items:
Second Home and its Advisory Board are seeking more grant writers and grant prospects, fundraising ideas from groups/companies and service clubs, and ways to increase the fees paid (including from Social Services), within a practical sliding scale system. Any & all funding ideas/ sources are being sought. Grace Covenant and Covenant Presbyterian churches are considering expanding/ starting more child day-care and/or before/ after school care programs; their ideas and experiences will be sought by Second Home as the year progresses.
Follow-up Contacts:
Patty Sensabaugh, Exec. Director, Second Home; (540) 578-1093 or sensabaugh@gmail.com
