Tom came home, fuming. His mom could see his anger as soon as he stepped off the school bus. It took some prodding and time to get it out of him, but eventually, his emotions got the better of him, and his frustration exploded out of him. Tom LOVES grapes. And he was so mad that his grade 4 classmates were chucking grapes at each other during lunch. Tom knew that grapes are expensive because his mom rarely bought them – for Tom, grapes were a huge treat. So seeing his classmates throw them around and squish them underfoot just made him angry. Why could some kids afford to waste grapes when his family couldn’t even afford to buy them? Life was not fair, and Tom was mad.

Sometimes it is the smallest things that make a child aware that they are not as “equal” as their peers – the food in their lunch box, the second-hand clothing, or perhaps not being able to go on a field trip because of the cost. These small things can become very big issues when a child is identified by their peers as being “poor” and are treated differently or bullied as a result, or it can result in the child losing their self-confidence and considering themselves to be less than their peers or even being incapable of success. Small things can become life-changing events for children facing challenges.

At The Cridge Centre Childcare program, we work hard to make sure that all children are loved and supported to reach their full potential. We go out of our way to make sure that children facing barriers are not excluded or defined by their challenge. For example, the breakfast program is for all the kids, not just those who don’t get a healthy breakfast at home. Everyone should get to enjoy grapes!

Giving kids a healthy and secure start to life is one step to growing a stronger community, one precious life at a time. We need your support to make sure that all our children have equal opportunities to grow, learn and thrive. Please give generously to help kids like Tom!

To support children like Tom click donate.

Hello, my name is Brenda, and I have volunteered to write a short article about The Cridge Nursery, which happens to be a part of my own story. This is my third time working here over the last 32 years, and it is interesting to reflect upon what is different and what has remained the same. I am also thinking about the stages and events of one’s life and all the programs and opportunities available here. A lot of development has been happening in the field of early childhood education. Also, parenting styles have changed over the last three decades. The reasons for choosing to work here are both personal and very much about being a part of something bigger than yourself mostly though it comes back to being about the people.

What is different between the 1980s and now? The biggest thing would be maternity leaves increasing from six months to a year. It was tricky at times to juggle the needs of infants and crawlers and walkers all in the same playroom, but I still had the energy to attend evening classes for my Infant/Toddler Diploma with “Joy Joy” (Joy Smith). The nursery program expanded from a classroom in the main building to a renovated townhouse which now houses programs for families. One of the first babies there was Paula’s West-Patrick’s son Matthew. Paula was also an infant-toddler care provider at the time, and now these many years later is the Manager of Children’s Services for The Cridge Centre.

I got married the same month as Janine Davies in 1991 (who has worked for The Cridge since 1988 herself) and moved on to new adventures including parenthood. As my son and daughter reached school age, I was ready to return first as the kitchen/laundry/lunch relief assistant and eventually as the Preschool teacher. After watching the new childcare building go up, it was exciting to move into a beautiful new classroom. My former Wiseways Preschool boss Mimi Davis was in the boardroom next door with the Respitality program. As a bus driver, there were many field trips for preschool and daycare, and occasional school drop-offs and pickups to help out. When I subbed during summers, my children attended a few weeks of High 5’s with Angela Brunwald and Marianne Jacques or SunFun with Sarah Smith and crew. My working helped us buy a house for my fortieth birthday, which led to a decade of daycare in my home.

Now my family daycare babies are in school, and my twenty-somethings are happier living in an adult-focused home. After taking a 6-month break to deal with some middle age health issues, friends at The Cridge encouraged me to try relief work. I am settling in nicely, not only am I caring for former children’s children, but even some coworkers were children formerly in my care! I look around the daycare and main office and other programs today and see many familiar faces. I am loving the freedom of subbing in a busy multicultural, multiage, diversely socio-economic organization. It’s a great place to hang out for a few years and work on my future Grandma skills.

To learn more about The Cridge Childcare Services click here.

By Marlene Goley, Manager of The Cridge Transition House and Outreach Services

The impact of having a designated Young Parent Outreach Program space where Nicole can gather with her young moms and their children has been incredible. Moms drop by to go through the clothing donations. On Thursdays, the Music Group is a big draw and moms linger afterward to gather up food picked up from the Food Share Program. Nicole and Moms enjoy having more space to meet and connect and to get applications done. Moms can come and “settle.” Space has even impacted our youngest clients. A mom dropped by with her 3-year-old little girl to go through donations and pick up some food. The 3-year-old ran into the new Young Parent Outreach Program space, threw out her arms and said, “This space is so wonderful!” How awesome to have a space to welcome them all!

By Joanne Linka, Manager of Communication and Fund Development

There are times when parents need to make difficult choices. Choices about schools, caregivers, access to digital media, or diet. The decisions are pretty much never ending – some easier than others, but always more to be made. For many of our families, the decisions are often either/or decisions. Do I buy fresh fruit or pay for my child to go on a school field trip? New shoes or cold medicine for the 5-year-old? A bus pass to get to work or a birthday present for the 10-year-old? These are hard decisions in the no-win situation of living in poverty.

Recently one of our families had to make an extremely difficult decision. Would they pay for childcare for their child with special needs OR pay for essential medical care for their other child that isn’t covered under our medical services? How does a parent choose between the real and significant needs of their children?

It is in situations like this that we are grateful and honoured to be able to step in and offer a helping hand. Supporting that family with the costs of medical care was an obvious solution that would help both children get what they need and remove the stress of financial worry from the parents. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t a massive amount of money – but it had an enormous impact on that family. Being able to share our resources and offer support to people in need is just one of the things that The Cridge Centre does with a great deal of joy and gratitude.

To support any of The Cridge Centre programs click here.

By Susie Scott, Child and Youth Support Worker

Because of THOSE times. Those times when you can see, hear and feel just how much the care providers need a break; so that they can be their best as care providers.

Those times when I know, he is getting a much-needed break at the same time.

Those times when I know, I am helping to relieve stress and provide care. But — it is the relationships I have built that matter the most. What started as a respite position for me has evolved into a deep-rooted friendship.

 

I have been a respite care provider for the same family for the past five years. His foster family is able to go on much-needed breaks and vacations, knowing that a capable and caring worker is there in their place. He can get the time-outs he needs: go to the beach, look at spiders, play video games, or go on bike rides (even for Ride for Refuge)! After all these years, it is still a rewarding part of my life.

I look forward to our times together. I am happy to see him grow and mature. I am happy to see the family unit have the space needed to be cheerful and stress-free.

I am happy to call him family. I am happy to help.

To learn more about the Cridge Respite Services.