Creating a Bright Space for Children
It could be called Extreme Makeover: Nursery Edition. Patched walls, a fresh coat of paint, sturdy oak bookcases, tables and chairs, an indoor playground, and new toys and art supplies have transformed City Union Mission’s Family Shelter nursery into a warm, welcoming environment for our homeless children, birth to age 6.
Believing that every child deserves a special and safe place to play, The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children, in partnership with The Horizons Initiative, created a unique program, which provides shelters serving homeless families with a fully equipped children’s playroom called a Bright Space.
Last year four local Bright Horizons Centers in Kansas City—Carondelet Health Center, Citi Bank, Research Hospital, and UAW-Ford Family Service and Learning Center—raised $10,000 to renovate and revitalize the Mission’s nursery.
“Now we have the opportunity to offer homeless children staying in our shelter and in our recovery program much more up-to-date toys and educational materials to develop their skills and to have fun,” says Cord Cochran, Family Shelter administrator. “Our goal is for the children to express themselves creatively in a space that can become whatever they can imagine!”
Children and parents got their first peek at the completed project, Saturday, March 23. Here’s what moms had to say about the new space:
- “I love it! I love it!”
- “It is so cute! Everything has its own spot.”
- “I can bring my son up to the nursery and know he is having fun.”
Thanks, Kansas City Bright Spaces Committee, for making our dream nursery a reality.
