When A Kid’s Place opened over five years ago, we waited expectantly for the first children to arrive. The facility was sparkling, the smell of fresh paint and new carpet wafting through each room. Newly trained staff sat at the ready; crisp sheets covered the beds and the kitchen floors gleamed beneath the bar stools neatly tucked under the island counter. When the first children arrived, it was a sibling group of three children and the staff gathered around them, hoping to share all we had to offer and make these children feel safe and at home.
Fast forward to January, 2015 when we celebrated 100,000 bed nights. The pristine floors now more often than not boast a few stray Cheerios and the sheets have grown soft with hundreds of laundry loads, but we have fully used all the space and appointments available to us to provide generously for the children in our care. 100,000 nights when a child has gone to sleep knowing that no one will harm him. 100,000 nights when a child knows that she won’t wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of arguing and dishes being smashed. 100,000 nights when these children leave the dinner table with a full stomach, and usually a special treat for dessert. A hot shower and clean pajamas? Done. Bedtime story? Done. That extra glass of water? Yes, that too. And finally, their own clean bed with the quilt sewn by a local sewing guild.
Cheerios on the floor? Wet bath towels in the bathroom? Stray socks under the sofa? Home is where the heart is, where you’re safe and loved. A Kid’s Place is making a difference, one night at a time, one child at a time. 100,000 nights is something to celebrate!