Having a home to call your own can mean something unique and different to everyone. Working with children who may not always have a place to call 'home' make us value it even more. We feel incredibly blessed to finally have a home for Children First. Here is what having a home means to some of our staff:

"Though we have only been here a few weeks, I am starting to hear the sounds of our new home—the sounds of hope and change. The other day I heard a new father learning to mirror his infant, babbling and cooing in the Family Time Visitation Center. Last week I heard several CASA volunteers working hard on their reports, tracking down information and working together to advocate for a child’s best interests. Upstairs, I heard the pitter-patter of a little girl’s feet while her father worked with the SPARC program to establish a relationship with her sister. 
We are now firmly planted within the community—a neighbor."
—Mary-Joyce Eleanor, Children First

"Having SPARC located in our new house gives me a more connected feeling. I enjoy the "homey" space with a few personal things, as well as having my supplies around ready to assist the participants in my program. I like hearing the children in the neighborhood playing and laughing. I feel at home."
—Lori Gage, SPARC

Please share what having a home means to you, either relating to Children First's new location, or your own personal home. You can submit your words below or send an email to: Carly@childrenfirst-inc.org.

The work at the Pope Street Cottage is getting really exciting to watch!  This week, they are putting in windows and working on the siding!  The place is really starting to come together.  We hope you can join us for an Open House when it's all finished.

Construction at the Pope Street Cottage has continued at a good pace over the last month.  The work has been more internal, so fun and exciting photos have been hard to come across.  However, we wanted to let you see some of the big steps that have been made recently.  On the left you can see the future kitchen of the Family Time Community Visitation Center.  This space will serve as a wonderful place for families to heal and grow through meaningful family meals.

Here you can see some of the electrical work going into the house.  The house will be fully wired to accomodate our current programs as well as future expansion to meet furthre needs in our community.

We were very excited to find some historic fireplaces beneath the old walls in the house.  We hope to be able to restore these fireplaces and leave theme exposed in the new offices.  Though they will be non-functional, these beautiful fireplaces will add to the historic accuracy of the cottage and make it an even more comfortable, nurturing home for our agency.