|
 |
ACROSS THE BOARD
|
Downtown
Children's Center
Committed to Kids and the City
By Pam Droog
Above:
Seated (left to right): Sandy Wunderlich, Kevin McGowan,
Patty Caragher; Pat Held, Capital Campaign Co-Chair; Ann Sutter,
Vice President; Zack Boyers; Lucinda Althauser, Secretary; Matthew
Borowiak Standing (left to right): Steve Riek, Treasurer;
Kari McAvoy; James Webster; Wendy Chambers, President; John Carrol;
Jill Dowd, Capital Campaign Co-Chair; Joan Gerard, Executive Director
Think of downtown St. Louis and images of business, sports and entertainment
come to mind-not necessarily childcare. Yet, for 22 years, taking
care of children has been a constant at the Downtown Children's
Center, and so has its board of director's focus on children and
the city.
The center is located in the Lucas Loft Building in the chic Washington
loft district. But after 16 years in the same first-floor space,
it's looking a little less than stylish. So late last summer, the
17-member board quietly kicked off an ambitious $1.2 million capital
campaign for renovations and other much-needed expenditures.
"The most we ever raised before was $30,000," says board president
Wendy Chambers, a project manager at May Company whose daughter
attends the center. "We've set a real challenge for ourselves, but
we live in a great community that understands the importance of
having childcare downtown, and a great board that's determined to
reach the goal."
Most of the Downtown Children's Center's board members are fairly
young, in their 20s and 30s, says Joan Gerard, executive director
for most of the center's history.
"Half are parents of children at the center and most of them work
downtown," she says. "Two are from the Washington Avenue redevelopment
area. I have two members who have served on and off for 20 years-and
they're not even parents of kids here! They're just people who are
interested in the center and its mission." For an organization with
100 children and 25 teachers, the administrative staff is quite
small-three full-time employees and some part-time help.
"That's why the board numbers 17, and I'd even like to grow it to
25," Chambers says. "With a lean staff, a diverse board can really
add value." For example, she explains, the attorneys on the board
do the center's legal work, the accountants crunch the numbers and
the marketers write the brochures and ads. "So when we need a new
member, we look at the areas we may be lacking," Gerard says. "And
we try to keep a balance of parents and individuals from the community."
The United Way Board Bank has provided some members, as well as
referrals by other board members.
"We're always recruiting," Gerard says. "We're always inviting someone
to lunch to get to know them."
Board members meet monthly and can serve up to three three-year
terms. They participate on several committees, including an executive
committee, board development, building, finance and marketing. By
far the busiest committees lately have been building, which is planning
the center's renovation, and finance, which is managing the capital
campaign.
The campaign came about when the Lucas Lofts building was sold,
about three years ago. The rent went up $1,000, then another $1,000,
then another $500 a month. Gerard and the board searched for a new
location but found nothing to fit the requirements of young children
and regulatory agencies.
"We were fortunate the building finally went condo, then we could
buy our space," Gerard says. "I'm on the condo board!"
The campaign is on track with several Leadership gifts at $100,000
each and other major contributions. One thing that helps bring in
donations is that the center qualifies for $250,000 in Missouri
tax credits, whereby a business or property owner who donates money
to the center will get 50 percent back in the form of a State tax
credit.
Half of the capital raised, $600,000, will go toward facility renovation,
including a new entrance on Washington Ave., new classrooms and
a new multi-purpose room. Another $300,000 will be used to set up
a scholarship endowment fund. The final $300,000 will go toward
faculty and curriculum development, including training in multicultural
education, Parents as Teachers infant/toddler caregiver training
and expanded tuition reimbursement for teachers.
With the capital campaign well underway, the board finally had time
to finish a far-reaching strategic plan.
"We had to put it off for a while because we were in such a state
of flux, not knowing where we'd end up," Chambers says.
The board also oversees the center's activities managing the onsite
Ralston Child Development Center, a summer camp for older children
and the Work/Family Connection, which provides backup childcare
for employees of downtown companies that pay a fee to participate
in the program, an idea Gerard borrowed from the East Coast.
Adjoining the center, several board members belong to a committee
working to beautify Lucas Park.
"Before, it was just us keeping the park clean and raising money.
Now there are more residents in the area who want to be involved
in neighborhood beautification," Gerard says. The group is planning
gardens, a special area for dogs and more.
Lucas Park is just one of the unique amenities for children at the
center. There's also the public library, swimming lessons at the
YMCA, the City Museum and other city resources.
Chambers notes, "Our center may not be new or high-tech, but it
has so much to offer." So does the neighborhood around it-at last.
One example is the Rudman Building, located across the street from
the center, which has been vacant 20 years, but it's finally being
renovated.
"I see a lot of things happening now, but we've been here when things
weren't happening and we just kept going," Gerard says. "We carved
out our own little corner and protected it."
Pam Droog is a St. Louis-based free-lance writer.
|
|
|
|
|
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
