March took the nation by surprise when the country declared a national emergency. After a mandated 11-week shutdown from Governor Wolf, Child’s Way, our daycare for medically fragile children, had been heavily impacted. On June 15, our dually-licensed Pediatric Extended Care Center reopened. However, we faced a significant loss in revenue, totaling over $100,000. These expenses do not include the increasing costs we have as we continue to implement additional safeguards to protect the children and frontline workers.
Our staff works hard to emphasize personalized, inclusive care to ensure an exceptional experience for our students. With our number one priority being safety, during the pandemic, we have increased our protocols. The precautions include personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks and gloves, which employees change between each child. Furthermore, we sanitize every toy after each use and practice social distancing.
With COVID-19, we are doing our best to reimagine our essential childcare program. We want our students to receive the same care and attention through safe practices. However, we understand that times are difficult for you as well. Due to the economy’s current state and unpredictable circumstances, families are understandably hesitant to bring their kids back, which means we are operating at 70% capacity.
Thanks to supporters like Abram’s Nation, our team can provide normalcy to the children during the pandemic. Abram’s Nation generously donated clear masks where the wearer’s mouth is visible. Thus, allowing students and staff to have the opportunity to communicate more effectively and better comprehend emotions.
Although things may look a little different, we have adapted to the new health and safety needs this pandemic has created. But, we need your help.
On August 19, the #ONEDAY Critical Needs Alert will help The Children’s Home with a special online day of giving from at 8 am to 11:59 pm. This campaign encourages monetary donations to help benefit our organization, with up to $425,000 of incentive funds provided by The Pittsburgh Foundation and their generous donors. With these resources, you will support our mission to provide childcare to medically fragile children despite the ongoing pandemic.
We will continue our mission to serve the community and support children and their families, especially during this difficult time. Thanks to donors like you, we provided almost $140,000 in free care last year. While we are grateful for any monetary donation, we also understand that resources may be tight. We encourage you to share our story with your community to spread the word. With your support, we can continue to provide our resources and an environment where students can grow.
To learn more, check out https://www.pittsburghgives.org/childrenshomepgh
