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From Susie Huhn, Executive Director

“Trouble is only opportunity in work clothes.”

– Henry Kaiser

Looking back on this spring I realize many of us have been in a state of mourning after since seeing the impact of the massive state budget cuts that crippled children’s services, health care and education. We have seen years of work washed away with a stroke of a pen. We have seen wonderful programs that helped families raise healthy, happy children closed or greatly diminished.
We’ve lost a lot. Our grief is real. As spring moves to summer, though, we know it is important to move on. It is important to acknowledge the world we knew no longer exists – and this new world will present us with some intriguing opportunities.
Since the day it opened in 1973, Casa de los Niños has remained relevant by adapting to the ever-changing environment surrounding children and families. We are continuing to do just that. Shortly after being forced to disband our two Healthy Families teams in May, Casa de los Niños and Easter Seals Blake Foundation received funding to start a Nurse Family Home Visitation Program that will serve low-income moms with children under 5.
We are also in the early stages of developing several new programs that will help children and families in some new and exciting ways.
We have stepped up our outreach to young parents. We want them to know they are not alone in raising children in these uncertain times. Not only have we seen an increase in the number of parents attending our free parenting classes, we have seen an increase in the number of children needing temporary care in our crisis shelter.
For more than 35 years, Casa de los Niños has been a beacon of hope for kids and at-risk families. We have no intention of walking walk away from them now. If it is true that “trouble is only opportunity in work clothes, ” we are more than willing to wear hard hats and overalls for awhile.
It is true that Casa de los Niños, like most non-profits, is facing some difficult times financially. We have tightened our belts. We have experienced some layoffs. But we are committed to keeping our most crucial services accessible and available for our community’s most vulnerable children and families.
We are putting on our work clothes and stepping forward to create future opportunities. We hope you will continue to walk forward with us. We still need volunteers. We still need donors. With your help, we’re going to stir all these lemons and sip the resulting lemonade!

Looking back on this spring I realize many of us have been in a state of mourning after seeing the impact of the massive state budget cuts that crippled children’s services, health care and education. We have seen years of work washed away with a stroke of a pen. We have seen wonderful programs that helped families raise healthy, happy children closed or greatly diminished.

We’ve lost a lot. Our grief is real. As spring moves to summer, though, we know it is important to move on. It is important to acknowledge the world we knew no longer exists – and this new world will present us with some intriguing opportunities.

Since the day it opened in 1973, Casa de los Niños has remained relevant by adapting to the ever-changing environment surrounding children and families. We are continuing to do just that. Shortly after being forced to disband our two Healthy Families teams in May, Casa de los Niños and Easter Seals Blake Foundation received funding to start a Nurse Family Home Visitation Program that will serve low-income moms with children under 5.

We are also in the early stages of developing several new programs that will help children and families in some new and exciting ways.

We have stepped up our outreach to young parents. We want them to know they are not alone in raising children in these uncertain times. Not only have we seen an increase in the number of parents attending our free parenting classes, we have seen an increase in the number of children needing temporary care in our crisis shelter.

For more than 35 years, Casa de los Niños has been a beacon of hope for kids and at-risk families. We have no intention of walking walk away from them now. If it is true that “trouble is only opportunity in work clothes, ” we are more than willing to wear hard hats and overalls for awhile.

It is true that Casa de los Niños, like most non-profits, is facing some difficult times financially. We have tightened our belts. We have experienced some layoffs. But we are committed to keeping our most crucial services accessible and available for our community’s most vulnerable children and families.

We are putting on our work clothes and stepping forward to create future opportunities. We hope you will continue to walk forward with us. We still need volunteers. We still need donors. With your help, we’re going to stir all these lemons and sip the resulting lemonade!