Since 1929, The Children’s Center has been serving children and their families with mental health issues, behavioral challenges and developmental differences. Its mission is to help children heal, grow, dream and become the amazing people they were meant to be.
The Children’s Center is warm and nurturing, and the environment is family oriented. “One of our core values is ensuring that our clients feel respected, so we work really hard to make sure our buildings are not just clean and tidy, but that they’re really welcoming and kid friendly,” says Tammy Zonker, chief philanthropy officer. “We have a green space and a koi pond; we want this to feel like a place of respite.”
Currently, 7,500 Wayne County children from pre-birth to the age of 21 and their families are being given critically needed support. Many of these families are living in poverty, enrolled in Medicaid and on food assistance.
“There are measurable differences between those who get help and those who don’t,” she says. “Sometimes people will ask how I can work at The Children’s Center since there are so many sad stories. The truth is, I know that the kids we’re able to serve do heal and progress, and those are happier stories. The kids we worry about are the ones who don’t come to us and need our services and support.”
There is also assistance for teens who are 18 and have aged out of the foster care system. If they’re in college or in a vocational or trade program, they can enroll in volunteer foster care until they are 21. If they don’t continue with services at some level, Tammy says that 40% of them will become homeless within six months of aging out.
The Center currently has about 250 employees, and Tammy says the great majority of them are master’s level clinicians. “Our clinicians are remarkable,” she says. “They go above and beyond, and have this ‘never say never’ attitude to really help children and families keep it together and build that base of stability to heal, grow and enjoy life.”
In mid-March, when the pandemic hit Detroit, Tammy says they shifted to a remote workforce. Instead of serving children and families on their Midtown campus, or in their schools or their homes or community spaces, clinicians began providing telehealth services through video and telephone calls. Enrichment and educational activities also shifted online, so they continued to offer homework help, book clubs, and healthy cooking classes, as well as a virtual summer day camp.
“As you can imagine, all this shifting was not in the budget,” she says. “Reduced service revenue, increased technology expenses, and cancelled or postponed fundraising events have made things very difficult, and we know it’s not over yet.”
The Center has also experienced a big increase in need due to COVID-19. “When you have a mental and behavioral health disorder, stability is one of the most important things for children. The fact that they’re not in school, or not in school consistently, can make them feel isolated, and they don’t have access to two of the meals usually provided to them by the schools.”
Without the assistance from the community, foundations and corporate partners, many of these services would not be possible. One of their biggest supporters is the Tau Beta Association. For the past 16 years, its members have given generously to fund enrichment and educational activities, and have dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours organizing fundraisers and donation drives for everything from school supplies and turkey dinners to items for the Holiday Shop.
Tau Beta members transform an activity room into a winter wonderland complete with twinkle lights. Accepted families shop for their children, and then proceed to wrapping stations where volunteers serve as Santa’s helpers and wrap each gift with care.
“Your financial contributions will help meet the greatest needs of children and families,” says Tammy. “Donations are down overall, but you can make a difference and provide a happy holiday and critically needed mental and behavioral health services this holiday season.” You can contribute at http://www.thechildrenscenter.com/crisis.
The vast majority of payments come from Medicaid reimbursement, but rarely does this cover all of the costs. This year, she says, they’re challenged with a three to five million dollar gap that they need to fill via fundraising.
Through December 7th, the Center is also seeking donations of new board games, puzzles, books, blankets and $25 Meijer gift cards, plus wrapping paper, gift bags and tape. Donations may be dropped off at The Children’s Center campus, located at 79 West Alexandrine, Detroit - Building 90.
The center is in need of volunteers as well. Tammy encourages people to reach out to Cindy Read at cread@thechildrenscenter.com to see how they can help.
"Children deserve the opportunity to be all they can be,” says President and CEO, Debora Matthews. “It takes all of us working together to make that happen - especially now."
Since late August, the Center has been phasing back into its campus location to serve families face to face whenever possible.
“I want people to know that we are continuing to meet the needs of children and families,” says Tammy. “We’re still out there in the trenches. Anything the community can do to share what they have, whether it’s time or money, they need to know that they’ll make a difference that they’ll never be able to fully appreciate.”
The Children's Center is located on the corner of Woodward and Alexandrine in the heart of Midtown at 79 Alexandrine West Detroit, Michigan 48201. For more information, please contact Tammy Zonker at 313.831.5535 or visit them at www.thechildrenscenter.com.