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Building for Children Fund

Wesley House has just received a Capital Match grant from the Eckerd Family Foundation challenging us to raise $200,000 at the local level for our Building for Children Campaign. Any money raised through November, 2008 will be doubled!

Wesley House - Inez Martin Childcare Center

Purpose

·        Original site of Wesley House, founded in 1927

·        Site is now a Developmental Child Care Center, serving families who live and/or work in the Key West community

·        Inez Martin Child Care site promotes high quality child care and early learning opportunities

·        Inez Martin is a curriculum driven, high quality child care center and early learning program with voluntary pre-kindergarten

·        Renovation will allow for an increase in the number of children to be served

·        Will add to the neighborhood aesthetically and improve the appearance of the property

·        Will create a safe and secure environment for our children

The program that will contribute to the economic well-being of the community, allowing working parents a safe and nurturing place for their children.

Are you ready to win for children?

The Building for Children Fund is a $1,300,000 project for the renovation of the Inez Martin Child Development program. All funds raised by and pledged to this campaign will be spent on the renovation of the Wesley House Inez Martin Child Care facility and any funds remaining will be used by the program to update program supplies and equipment. As of February 22, 2008 we have raised $942,083; $873,660 has been spent; $68,423 is in available cash; $283,422 has been pledged.

Inez Martin is the largest licensed childcare program in Key West. It currently serves approximately 60 children, ages birth to five years of age. Most families are working low-income families comprising the backbone of our tourist industry workforce. In addition, this childcare program serves the largest number of Monroe County foster and at risk children.

The Building for Children Fund will also need money for classroom furniture, supplies, new play ground equipment, kitchen supplies, diaper changing beds, cribs. The center serves children from birth to 5. Wesley House has been putting “temporary” type patches on the building but now realizes that a total renovation is needed to continue to offer a safe, nurturing environment for the children.  Inez Martin is currently licensed by the Department of Children and Families to serve 102 children, but can now serve no more than 60 children safely in the building.  Our goal is to upgrade the property with safer equipment in the facility.  Through this process Wesley House will be able to serve an additional 40 children safely in the new building. 

The Inez Martin Child Development Center is duly accredited by the Council of Accreditation and by the Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment (APPLE).  As a result of these accreditations, the program is considered “Gold Seal” by the Department of Children and Families for their commitment to standards above and beyond those that meet basic licensing requirements.  Classes at Inez Martin are curriculum driven and statistics have proven that these children are better prepared for school.   

Although we do not own the property, Wesley House has occupied this site since 1927. The United Methodist Church, Women’s division of the United Methodist Church owns the property and offers it at no cost to Wesley House to enable us to continue offering services to families with children. The current no-cost lease term is until 2020 and there is no indication that this property will not be available to Wesley House for services in perpetuity.

FAQ's

Building for Children Newsletter September 2007

Pick a Picket Flier

Make a Pledge or a donation  

Inez Martin Plan Drawing

Volunteers

1. Why volunteer
2. Volunteer application
3. Available volunteer opportunities

• General Office Work
• Special Events
• Child care sites
• Mailings
• Special projects

Why Volunteer?

People volunteer for a wide variety of reasons, especially wanting to help others. But it's also OK to want some benefits for yourself from volunteering.

Instead of considering volunteering as something you do for people who are not as fortunate as yourself, begin to think of it as an exchange. Consider that most people find themselves in need at some point in their lives. So today you may be the person with the ability to help, but tomorrow you may be the recipient of someone else's volunteer effort. Even now you might be on both sides of the service cycle: maybe you are a tutor for someone who can't read, while last month the volunteer ambulance corps rushed you to the emergency room. Adding your effort to the work of others makes everyone's lives better.

Here are just a few of the many possible motivations:

You will probably have some special reasons of your own. Remember the motivations of why you select a certain agency may not be the reasons why you stay. Once you're on the volunteer job, you will continue to serve as long as you feel that your efforts are accomplishing something, that your talents are appreciated, and that you make a difference. And if you like the people with whom you work, so much the better!
As long as you are truly serving through your volunteer work, isn't it wonderful that such an exchange occurs? In fact, it tends to strengthen your commitment to volunteering when you can see the benefits to both the recipient of your efforts and to your self.